Small Planet Airline: two crew members must be in the cockpit at all times

Vilnius, Lithuania, 2015-3-30 — /Travel PR News/ — In response to the information provided by media regarding possible contributing factors to the Germanwings plane crash, Small Planet Airlines informs that the company follows a standard procedure stating that two crew members must be in the cockpit at all times. If one of the pilots need to leave their post, then a cabin crew member must always takes her/his place until the pilot comes back.

“All of our pilots and cabin crew members are familiar with the procedure which states that in the event a pilot must temporarily leaving the cockpit, a flight attendant must join the cockpit and remain there until the pilot comes back. While this procedure is not compulsory in European Union, it is a company standard and strictly followed practice at Small Planet Airlines – we have implemented this procedure since the company was established,” – states Viktorija Ulinskė, Head of In-Flight Division and Brand Manager.

The Flight Operations Manual – a document which describes operational flight procedures – states that pilots and cabin crew members can temporarily leave their post only under circumstances of necessity to perform their duties. Physiological needs of the crew members are among such circumstances addressed in the Flight Operations Manual.

Small Planet Airlines also informs that flight safety is strictly regulated by European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). All airlines registered in the European Union must comply with EASA’s procedures. At Small Planet Airlines, the technical condition of each aircraft is thoroughly checked before and after each flight. Flight safety is of the highest priority at Small Planet Airlines.

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