Former pilot and YouTuber Gaurav Taneja has joined the conversation around Joe Jonas’ ‘mile high club’ confession and a viral ex-flight attendant Cierra Misst’s claims. Sharing stories from his years as a captain, he spoke about what really happens inside the cockpit, how crew relationships sometimes play out, and even recalled surprising encounters with Bollywood stars—while reminding that passenger safety should always come first.
Cierra Misst’s viral claims
In her video, Cierra explained how pilots and flight attendants allegedly manage to join the mile high club while on duty. She claimed that since one crew member must always remain in the cockpit, opportunities arise when a pilot steps out for food or a break and a flight attendant takes their place. According to her, passengers remain unaware as the plane runs on autopilot. She also outlined three rules for such encounters: working with a trusted crew, choosing a smooth flight route, and coordinating a pilot and attendant swap in the cockpit.
Gaurav explains cockpit procedures
In his video, Gaurav said, “Please view this incident in isolation. There are always a few bad apples who ruin the reputation of everybody else. You will find such people in every corporate sector… I’ve been a captain for a decade, so let me share some details about the procedures with you. When the aircraft is on the runway and the pilots put it in full throttle, until the landing gear is pulled up, the cockpit is in a ‘no-contact period’. This is when the pilots cannot be disturbed in any circumstances, even if a passenger has a heart attack. After the landing gear is pulled up and until the flight hits an altitude of 10,000 feet, the pilots can be contacted only in emergency scenarios. It is only after the flight crosses the 10,000 feet altitude and the pilots switch of the fasten seat-belt sign that flight attendants can enter the cockpit. But there is a procedure for this, as well.”He explained that such incidents are unlikely on short flights since the crew is constantly occupied with duties, but they could happen more often on long-haul flights when the aircraft is on autopilot for extended periods. Gaurav clarified that protocol requires a pilot to never be left alone in the cockpit. If one steps out to use the washroom, a flight attendant temporarily takes the empty seat to ensure the cockpit is never unmanned in case the remaining pilot is unable to function.From his experience as a captain, Gaurav shared that he has seen romantic relationships between crew members and pilots. However, he added that there have also been many cases where flight attendants filed sexual harassment complaints against pilots, and due to strict regulations in the country, the outcomes were often serious.
Bollywood stars and cockpit stories
Talking about Bollywood, he shared, “Now, let me tell you a story from my experiences. You won’t hear about these stories in the media. Remember, these are made-up stories,” he said, perhaps in an attempt to have deniability in case an airline goes after him. He continued, “A lot of my friends were working at an airline that closed down operations. When this happens, other airlines absorb the pilots. This was a very reputable airline that also used to have international routes. Certain Bollywood celebrities would always fly with this airline, and they’d have the same pilot fly them. They’d become friendly with him. During the flight, these actors would enter the cockpit, because they were heavy smokers. The pilot would switch off the cockpit fans, which are separate from the rest of the flight’s circulation, and the actors would smoke. Anybody who has worked in the aviation industry for a few decades would know exactly who I’m talking about, but remember, this is a made-up story.”In conclusion, Gaurav remarked that such practices are more common in the West, while in India they are far less prevalent. He noted that Indians generally keep their personal and professional lives separate, which is something to be grateful for. While acknowledging that romantic relationships can develop in any profession, he emphasized that mixing them with work in aviation can cause distractions and potentially compromise passenger safety.
