By Chinelo Obogo
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA) has said that any airline operator that allows unauthorised persons into its cockpit during all phases of flight operations will be sanctioned.
In a circular addressed to domestic airline operators and signed by the Director General, Capt. Musa Nuhu, the authority said that it has been notified that passengers are now being allowed access to cockpits against the civil aviation regulations and warned all flight crew to desist from such actions.
Nuhu said that any violation or non-compliance with the directive will result in the imposition of applicable sanctions under the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations on both the operator and the flight crew.
“It has been brought to the notice of the Authority of a worrisome development in which passengers are admitted into the flight deck (cockpit), especially on commercial air transport flights. Aircraft flight decks are designated as a safe working environment and the presence of unauthorised persons is both a distraction to safe flight operations and a potential security risk. In addition it is a violation to Nig.CARs8.5.1.12 and 8.5.1.13.
“All operators and flight crew are hereby warned to detest from admitting unauthorised persons into the cockpit during all phases of flight operations with immediate effect. Any violation or non-compliance with the directive will result in the imposition of supplicable sanctions under the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations on both the operator and the flight crew,” Nuhu said.