A dispute between the pilots of a SriLankan Airlines flight resulted in the captain preventing the co-pilot from re-entering the cockpit.
According to the Sri Lankan Daily Mirror, SriLankan Airlines issued a statement on Monday announcing that they were investigating an incident that occurred on flight UL607 on September 21, en route from Sydney, Australia, to Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The incident occurred when the captain and co-pilot got into an argument in the cockpit.
After the plane took off, the co-pilot requested to use the restroom. This led to a verbal altercation, and when the co-pilot exited the cockpit to go to the restroom, the captain reportedly locked the cockpit door.
According to standard operating procedures for aircraft, during long-haul flights like this, if the co-pilot leaves the cockpit, another standby pilot must enter to maintain a two-person system. However, the captain blocked this, remaining alone in the cockpit for some time.
Only after the cabin crew intervened and persuaded the captain was the co-pilot able to return to the cockpit. The aircraft arrived at its destination without any further incidents.
SriLankan Airlines emphasized that passenger safety and compliance with all regulatory requirements are its top priorities, adding that the captain has been banned from flying until the investigation is concluded.
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