Germanwings Crash: European Airlines Enact 2-In-Cockpit Rule Followings Findings Co-Pilot Was Cause Of Crash

European as well as Canadian airlines rush to adopt and implement the 2-in-cockpit rule of the U.S. following initial findings the co-pilot of Germanwings flight 4U 9524 deliberately maneuvered the plane to crash into the French alps.

The 2-in-cockpit rule isn’t really new. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration had been implementing it, requiring airlines that cockpit of commercial flights should always have two qualified crewmembers at all times. Should any of the two pilot wants to leave the cockpit, s/he must be replaced by anyone from the crew members of the flight. The replacement then locks the door and stay inside the cockpit until the pilot returns. After Tuesday’s disaster, it was learned that rule is applied only discretionarily in other parts of the world.

Canada has called on all its airliners to adopt the rule. "Currently, there is not the requirement to have two members in the [cockpit]," federal Transport Minister Lisa Raitt said. "After this order, there will be a requirement to have two members." The rules takes effect immediately.

The EasyJet Plc of the U.K. said it will implement the 2-in-cockpit rule on Friday, while Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA said it has to first wait for regulatory approval before implementing the rule. It added it had been studying the changes “for a while” now.

“In light of the tragic Germanwings accident, we are speeding up the process so that two crew members always are present in the cockpit,” the airline said in a statement. “Our passengers’ and crew’s safety always comes first, which is why we have decided to change our procedures, in line with U.S. regulations.”

Air France-KLM Group, meantime, has yet to issue any comments regardin the rule and said they continue to monitor the situation, based on the prevailing safety policies of the European Aviation Safety Agency.

Under EASA, pilots are required to remain in the cockpit unless in situations that they need to exit such as “in connection with the operation” or for “physiological” requirements, such as going to the lavatory. In such cases, one pilot must remain at the controls.

Initial findings reveal Andreas Lubitz, co-pilot of the doomed Germanwings flight 4U 9524, deliberately planned to crash the Airbus A320 plane, with all 150 people on board. The plane crashed between the villages of Digne-les-Bains and Barcelonnette in the southern French Alps.

Co-pilot Lubitz, according to Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin, as soon as pilot Patrick Sonderheimer left the cockpit, “pressed the button of the flight monitoring system, to put into action the descent of the aeroplane.” Robin said Lubitz did it deliberately, “for a reason we don’t know yet. But it appears that the reason was to destroy this plane.”

To report problems or to leave feedback about this article, email: e.misa@ibtimes.com.au.