Virgin ordered to explain decision to allow banker on to flight deck
08.08.11
Virgin Atlantic has been criticised by the Department for Transport after a pilot invited Bob Diamond, Barclay’s chief executive, into the cockpit at the end of the Prime Minister’s flight from Africa, the Telegraph reports. Even though the flight was a charter flight, airlines are forbidden to allow passengers onto the flight deck under new restrictions introduced in the wake of September 11.
According to Virgin Atlantic Mr Diamond sat in the ‘jump seat’ during the flight’s descent and at no time was allowed anywhere near the controls. However a member of the flight crew joked that Mr Diamond, who does not have a pilot’s licence, performed a ‘perfect landing’. A spokesman for the airline said afterwards that the announcement had been tongue in cheek.
Even though VIP charter flights can be more informal than scheduled services, the decision to allow Mr Diamond onto the flight deck has caused embarrassment at the airline. A spokesman said: ‘We can confirm that on the recent charter flight from Africa, Mr Diamond was invited into the cockpit as an observing guest but did not land the plane. We are confident that the safety and security of the aircraft was not compromised at any time.’
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