It is believed that the co-pilot of the Germanwings plane, which crashed into French Alps killing all 150 people aboard, deliberately crashed the plane by using post-9/11 safety mechanisms to carry out his plan.
TORONTO – Air Canada said on Thursday it is changing its policies to ensure that all flights have two people in the cockpit at all times after initial reports on the Germanwings flight that crashed on Tuesday. The new two-man cockpit policy was brought on by Transport Canada.
Canada’s biggest airline is making the change “without delay,” said spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick in an email. He said Air Canada was monitoring the investigation into the crash closely, noting that “at this point the cause is unknown.”
Fitzpatrick declined to describe Air Canada’s previous policy, saying he could not discuss security measures.
According to reports, the co-pilot of the Germanwings plane, which crashed into French Alps killing all 150 people aboard, deliberately crashed the plane by using post-9/11 safety mechanisms to carry out his plan.
Andreas Guenter Lubitz, 28, waited for his captain, Patrick Sondenheimer to leave the flight deck and go to the toilet before commanding the Airbus A-320 to descend.
Once out of the cockpit, the door locked automatically. Ironically, this auto-lock feature, which led to Lubitz having sole control of the plane, was introduced as a way of improving flight safety in the wake of 9/11.
The Airbus A320 is fitted with a locking mechanism to prevent unauthorised access to the flight deck while the aircraft is in flight. The door was also specially strengthened, to prevent someone from being able to barge their way through.
The safety systems were improved in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks where hijackers were able to gain access to the cockpit and take over the aircraft.
Entry is controlled by the flight crew, in case of a possible hijack attempt.
The Cockpit Door Locking System (CDLS) according to the flight manual ‘provides a means of electrically locking and unlocking the cockpit door’.
The CDLS is located in the central pedestal between both pilots and has a toggle switch which controls the door.
They also have a CCTV camera so they can see who is seeking access, and if they are under any form of duress.
Pilots can restrict access to the flight deck although cabin crew can gain entry in an emergency.
However, this emergency access can be over-ridden by the pilot for between five to 20 minutes.
