Islamabad: A pilot of Pakistan’s flag carrier PIA has been accused of risking security by allowing a young Chinese woman into the cockpit during a flight from Tokyo to Beijing this week, days after another pilot was taken off duty for allegedly sleeping on a London-bound PIA flight.
Captain Shahzad Aziz invited the Chinese woman into the cockpit during PIA flight PK-853 from Tokyo to Beijing, Geo News reported today, citing one of its correspondents who was flying on the same plane.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZJE2tRjZQY
The woman, who was not authorised into the cabin area, stayed inside the cockpit with the pilot and first officer for over two hours, coming out only after the plane landed. At one point during the two hours, the woman was in the cockpit alone with just the pilot, it said.
It said the woman did not answer when asked if she was a friend or relative of the pilot.
PIA said it was trying to get in touch with the flight crew over the incident.
Unauthorised persons are not allowed into the cockpit at any time during flights as it is a safety hazard.
A PIA spokesperson, however, said inviting a single passenger into the cockpit was not a security concern.
This is not the first time that PIA pilots and crew have been involved in similar incidents.
Last month, PIA launched an investigation against a senior pilot after he was accused of handing over the aircraft to an under-training pilot following take-off and taking a two-and-a-half-hour nap in the passenger compartment.
The pilot has been taken off flying duty due to the ongoing investigation.
PTI