Agents have praised airlines for making “quick and decisive” changes to cockpit rules in the wake of the Germanwings crash.
In the days following the incident, many carriers, including easyJet, Monarch Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Thomas Cook Airlines, changed policies to ensure that two crew members are always present in the cockpit.
The decisions were made after it emerged that Andreas Lubitz, the co-pilot of the Germanwings A320 that crashed in the French Alps last week, had locked himself in the cockpit, stopping the pilot from re-entering, before deliberately crashing the aircraft, killing all 150 crew and passengers.
Miles Morgan, owner of Miles Morgan Travel, said airlines should be applauded for reassuring the public so quickly.
“People are a lot more resilient than they were 20 years ago,” he said. “Back then, it would have worried people and probably would have affected bookings, but now they are more realistic about situations and understand this was a horrendous one-off tragedy.
“The airlines have been brilliant in dealing with this. They’ve been quick and decisive, and deserve to be applauded for that.”
John Sullivan, Advantage Travel Partnership commercial head, welcomed the changes many airlines have made.
“Anything that makes it safer to fly, and tightens regulations to improve safety,
is welcomed by us,” he said.
“It’s a positive step following a tragedy.”
In the wake of the crash, the European Aviation Safety Agency recommended a change in cockpit policy and Iata sought to reassure consumers on the safety of flying. The association said carriers’ proactive approach was “characteristic of an industry with safety at the top of its priority list”.
The CAA has written to UK carriers to ask what procedures they have in place for when a pilot leaves the flight deck.