By Chioma Iruke
Airline operators and flights crew who allow unauthorised personnel into the cockpit during flight operations have been warned of impending sanctions by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
The NCAA Director-General, Capt. Musa Nuhu, issued the warning in a letter where he decried the worrisome trend and vowed to take action, stressing the importance of the aircraft cockpit.
“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 sterile working environment, and the presence of unauthorised persons is both a distraction to safe flight operations and potential security,” Capt. Nuhu said.
“In addition, it is a violation of Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations ( NCARs) 8.5.1.12 and 8.5.1.13. All operators and flight crews are hereby warned to desist from admitting unauthorised persons into the cockpit during all phases of flight operations with immediate effect,” the letter added.
The DG warned that any violation or non-compliance with the directive would result in applying sanctions on both operators and flight crew.
