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air scare
Shocking moment Easyjet plane’s cockpit door swings open while landing raising security concerns
Video seemingly filmed on a phone camera, shows passengers craning their necks into the aisle to gaze at the flight deck
FLYERS aboard an Easyjet flight got an unexpected glimpse of the pilot when the cockpit door flew open.
Video seemingly filmed on a phone camera, shows passengers craning their necks into the aisle to gaze at the flight deck.
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According to aviation rules the cockpit is supposed to be closed and locked at all times as part of anti-hijacking measures.
In the footage passengers can be heard saying “oh dear” and another says “that’s a view we don’t normally see” before chuckling to themselves.
The user who uploaded the video to YouTube published it with the description: “Whilst coming into land the cockpit door which should be locked flung open on its own leaving the cockpit and pilots exposed for well over a minute.”
The reason for the door flying open is as yet unclear.
A spokesman for Easyjet said: “Easyjet can confirm that, after landing, the cockpit door opened unexpectedly for a matter of seconds. As soon as the cabin crew were aware the door was closed.
"As soon as the aircraft was slowed to taxi speed and it was safe to stand up the closest member of the cabin crew closed the door.
“Like all airlines, easyJet’s cockpit doors comply with all mandatory safety regulations. The safety of its passengers and crew is the airline's highest priority."
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The video was taken in 2010 but the YouTuber decided to post the video today because it was an unusual sight.
Since the 9/11 attacks crew of large commercial aircraft have been required to keep cockpit doors locked at all times.
Cockpit doors are locked automatically via the pilots’ controls but a manual lock is often present as a backup in case the automatic lock fails. It is not mandatory for the manual lock to be engaged.
A task force investigation following last year’s Germanwings tragedy, where the captain was locked out of the cockpit and the plane was deliberately crashed into the French Alps by the co-pilot, found that the use of the manual door lock is very rare.
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