DGCA asks airlines to prevent unauthorised cockpit entry

New Delhi: Aviation safety watchdog DGCA on Friday asked airlines to strictly follow rules as well as sensitise pilots and cabin crew to prevent incidents of unauthorised entry of people into the cockpit.

The regulator has also warned that any non-compliance with the applicable regulation dealing with unauthorised cockpit entry shall be dealt with strictly and may also invite stringent enforcement action.

The DGCA move comes against the backdrop of two recent incidents where unauthorised people were allowed inside the cockpit during scheduled flights.

In an advisory, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked the heads of operations of all scheduled airlines to “prevent any unauthorised entry in the cockpit through appropriate means.”

As per DGCA safety norms, unauthorised people are not allowed to enter the cockpit, and any such entry could violate norms.

“Instances of unauthorised entry into the aircraft cockpit have been reported to DGCA in the recent past, wherein persons having no authority or purpose, were permitted entry into the cockpit,” the regulator said in the advisory.

According to DGCA, “such an unauthorised presence in the cockpit is likely to distract the attention of cockpit crew from their sensitive functions and can lead to errors which may jeopardize the safety of the aircraft operations.”

The persons authorized for entry into the cockpit and to occupy the jump seat have been specified in the Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) 17 of 2019, DGCA said in its advisory on Friday.

“All the heads of operations are hereby advised to sensitize their pilots and cabin crew members to strictly follow the AIC and prevent any unauthorised entry in the cockpit through appropriate means,” DGCA said.