PARIS--The European Aviation Safety Agency today issued
temporary guidance to airline requiring them to have two crew
members in the cockpit at all times in response to Tuesday's
Germanwings plane crash.
The updated policy requires at least one qualified pilot to be
in the cockpit, Cologne-based EASA said in a statement.
Germanwings Flight 9525 crashed in the French Alps on Tuesday
with 150 people on board, with a French prosecutor saying Thursday
that it appeared the co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz , had a "willingness
to destroy this aircraft."
Europe didn't require airlines to have two qualified pilots in
the cockpit at all times, but some airlines have introduced the
rule following revelations that the co-pilot of the Germanwings
flight had locked himself in the cockpit and didn't allow the pilot
to enter and reverse course. The German Aviation Association said
Friday that German airlines would introduce the rule.
EASA said it could update the recommendation depending on what
additional findings come from the accident probe.
Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA.XE) today joined other carriers in
revising its policy that allowed the pilot or co-pilot to remain
alone in the cockpit.
Write to Robert Wall at Robert.Wall@wsj.com
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