- The fight started when an Air France co-pilot refused to execute an order from the captain upon takeoff.
- New day of strikes at Easyjet and Iberia Express in full return from vacation.
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| File image of the Air France plane, Airbus A220-300. |
Two pilots suspended for fighting in the cockpit mid-flight
Two Air France pilots, who fought mid-flight between Geneva and Paris last June in a bizarre scene, are suspended by the company pending a decision from their management on their future.
Air France acknowledges, in a statement received on Monday, that there were "inappropriate gestures" between the two pilots in the cabin of the Airbus A320 that covered the journey between the Swiss city and the French capital that day. But he insists that "the incident ended quickly without affecting the driving or the safety of the flight, which continued normally."
The details were leaked to the press after the French aviation safety agency BEA pointed out last week in a report referring to Air France as "a repetition of investigations" that reveal "an adaptation of procedures or even a violation deliberate use of these leading to a reduction in safety margins".
According to those leaks, the fight started because the co-pilot refused to execute an order given to him by the captain shortly after takeoff. One of the two involved speaks of an involuntary blow, while the other affirms that it was a slap. From there several punches were distributed.
Other crew members realized something was wrong with the noise and entered the cockpit to separate the two pilots. In fact, one of them stayed there for the rest of the flight to prevent them from coming back into the hands.
Air France emphasizes in its statement that "the safety of its customers and crew members is its absolute priority."
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