PIA Captain Under Investigation After Allowing Passenger Into Cockpit
Jackie Reddy May 12, 2017
It is believed that the incident, which was caught on camera by a correspondent from Geo News, endangered passengers’ lives.
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) captain is under scrutiny for a possible security breach after it has emerged that he allowed an unnamed woman into the cockpit with him for up to two hours during a flight from Tokyo to Beijing. The Mirror reports that the actions of Shahzad Aziz, the captain of Pakistan International Airlines Flight PK-853, are under investigation by Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
The woman was caught on camera emerging from the cockpit by Irfan Siddiqui, a correspondent with the country’s Geo News. In the clip, the Mirror reports, the correspondent asks the seemingly confused woman if she “enjoyed the landing” and he then goes on to ask if she is a friend of or related to the captain. The unnamed passenger declines to answer his queries.
Siddiqui posted the video to Facebook, where it has drawn considerable ire from members of the public. One user commented, “How (is it) she went to cockpit without permit? Only employees (are) allowed to go to cockpit.”
Allowing unauthorized persons into the cockpit while it is in flight constitutes a breach of safety, but it is down to the pilot to ensure that this rule is enforced. The Mirror reports that a spokesperson for the airline commented that allowing one passenger into the cockpit was not a cause for alarm, but added that the carrier would speak to the pilot.
However, the director-general of the country’s CAA is taking the matter seriously and has ordered an investigation of the incident.
[Photo: Shutterstock]
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obviously, this is only a part of what is going on. what about the detained crew over the heroin issue today/yesterday, depending where one is? what about the issues of actively boarding more people than seats and continuing with the flight with standing passengers. great that they are a secondary market for boeing planes but time to cut and run. yes?
Agree wholeheartedly with Adam. Being Pakistani myself and having a relative who worked in the PIA office in London for a number of years allows you to understand how big of a joke this airline is. There should be no surprise at all at corruption and the breaking of rules. PIA deserves to fail.
What would you expect from PIA? Rules are for other people.