KUWAIT CITY, July 7: A heated argument between a Kuwait Airways pilot and seven customs officers at the Kuwait International Airport escalated into a fistfight when the officers accused the former of being under the influence of alcohol while at the helm of a Dubai-Kuwait flight Wednesday.
However, the pilot’s brother vehemently denied the accusation, disclosing his brother was just an ordinary passenger because he has been suspended since November last year due to a landing error. He disclosed his brother is now detained at Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh Police Station as the authorities need to wait for 10 days before the Forensic report is released to know if he was drunk during the flight or not. He said his brother does not deserve such harsh treatment based on false accusations, considering his dedicated service to Kuwait Airways.

Meanwhile, the incident has drawn mixed reactions from the lawmakers. MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei confirmed the pilot’s behavior during the flight was normal and he was just an ordinary passenger at the time even if he was in uniform. He called on those spreading false information to refrain from tarnishing the reputation of Kuwaiti pilots. “We appreciate and respect all the Kuwaiti pilots. We have to get to the bottom of the issue to determine who is behind the smear campaign against the pilot,” he added.
On the other hand, MP Maasouma Al-Mubarak denounced some of her colleagues for interfering in the issue in an attempt to protect the pilot. She expressed disappointment on the incident, saying it was a reckless act that endangered the lives of many people. She also warned Minister of Communications Sami Al-Nisf against succumbing to pressure from certain lawmakers who want to defend the pilot and called for a thorough investigation to uncover the truth.

Earlier, Al-Anba daily said, a Kuwaiti pilot of the Kuwait Airways Corporation was taken to the Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh Police Station and then referred to Forensics to find out if he had consumed liquor during a flight from Dubai to Kuwait.
According to reports this happened when several passengers aboard the flight complained to the airport authorities that the pilot was under the influence of alcohol.
Moreover, the reports said when the plane landed at the Kuwait International Airport the pilot refused his luggage to be checked by the customs officers.