Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
TORONTO (AP) — Canada's transport minister issued an immediate order requiring two crew members to be in the flight deck at all times in the wake of news that a co-pilot of the Germanwings jet barricaded himself in the cockpit and intentionally rammed the plane into the French Alps.
Transport Minister Lisa Raitt said Thursday that the government is also reviewing all policies and procedures and is watching the situation in Europe closely. It is standard operating procedure to have two crew members in the flight deck in the U.S. It is not in Canada.
"In light of reports this morning, I will be issuing an interim order which would require two crew members be in the flight deck," Raitt said.
Air Canada, Canada's largest airline, said earlier Thursday it would "implement without delay" the policy change. Westjet and Transat airlines also said it would make the change immediately. Porter airlines said it policy has always been to have at least two crew in the flight deck at all times.
European investigators said Germanwings co-pilot Andreas Lubitz barricaded himself inside the cockpit of an Airbus jetliner Tuesday and deliberately crashed it into a mountainside, killing all 150 passengers and crew aboard.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
