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Shillong, June 30: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has released a crucial advisory to all airlines, emphasizing the need to educate their pilots and cabin crew about authorized individuals who can enter an aircraft cockpit. According to the notice, any unauthorized entry will be dealt with severely and may result in stringent enforcement action.
The advisory clearly outlines the approved categories of people who are permitted to enter an aircraft cockpit and occupy the jump seat. Referring to Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) 17 of 2019, the authorized individuals include crew members, Civil Aviation Department officers, India Meteorological Department officers, Ministry of Civil Aviation officers of the rank of Joint Secretary and above, aircraft operator employees, airline officials, flight crew members of the aircraft operator, and duly authorized representatives of the aircraft manufacturer.
Furthermore, all authorized personnel are required to comply with mandatory pre-flight and post-flight breath analyzer tests. The DGCA’s advisory also urges airlines to ensure strict compliance with these regulations among their flight crews.
This advisory serves as a reminder to airlines about existing rules, following two recent incidents of “unauthorized entry” by passengers into the aircraft cockpit of Air India flights. In the first instance on February 27, a pilot operating a Delhi-Dubai flight allowed a female acquaintance to enter the cockpit and remain there until landing. As a consequence, the pilot was suspended for three months. Air India was also fined Rs 30 lakh for neglecting the initial complaint made by vigilant cabin crew members.
The DGCA’s advisory aims to reinforce the importance of cockpit security and ensure the adherence to established protocols by all airlines, pilots, and cabin crew members.