Two Air India pilots have been removed from duty after they reportedly got into a fight inside the cockpit of a plane shortly before it was scheduled to take off.

The altercation involving the captain and co-pilot erupted while the plane was being prepared for a 50-minute journey from Delhi to Jaipur last night.

Both pilots have been derostered after the captain of flight AI611 complained that the co-pilot had misbehaved and struck him, the Times of India reported.