Asiana Airlines under fire for letting injured pilot fly after punch-up

Asiana Airlines has come under fire for letting a co-pilot injured in a bloody fight, operate a flight bound for New York from Seoul, South Korea, last week, risking the safety of 275 passengers. According to reports, a quarrel broke out between two co-pilots of flight OZ222 that was supposed to depart from Incheon International Airport for New York at 11 a.m. Friday. The two punched and kicked each other, leaving one taken off the flight for medical treatment. Departure was delayed for about one hour. The other co-pilot was also injured, but the company’s safety director left him on the flight after checking his condition. Instead, the director used a substitute pilot to fill the vacancy. The exact cause of the fight is unknown. The country’s second-biggest airline will question the two pilots this week and take disciplinary action. Amid criticism for leaving the injured pilot in the cockpit, the company said the fight happened outside the cockpit and that Asiana’s safety director confirmed that the pilot would not compromise safety. <br/>