The European Aviation Safety Agency said today that it plans to update its safety policy regarding crew members in the cockpits of European planes. Up until now, the agency only required one pilot to be in the cockpit at any given time, which contributed to the tragic situation in the cockpit of Germanwings flight 9525 this week.
Airlines across Europe, including EasyJet and Norwegian Air, have been rushing to update their policies since the crash. For now, however, the EASA is just recommending that European airlines “re-assess” their procedures, rather than requiring any changes be made. It remains to be seen whether the EASA will formally require two crew members in the cockpit at any given time in the future, but this recommendation is a step toward a more stringent safety policy, similar to what’s currently in place in the US.
“While we are still mourning the victims, all our efforts focus on improving the safety and security of passengers and crews,” Patrick Ky, the EASA’s executive director, said in a release.