Global Pilots on Ryanair Flight 4978
May 24, 2021
·
News
·
Global Pilots on Ryanair Flight 4978
MONTREAL /
BRUSSELS - The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations
(IFALPA) and the European Cockpit Association (ECA) fully share the concerns
expressed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regarding the
forced landing of Ryanair Flight 4978 in Minsk, Belarus, on 23 May. Pilots are
concerned that the intervention of the Belarussian Air Force was enacted for
political reasons, in contravention of the Chicago Convention, and amounts to
an act of unlawful interference, bearing all the hallmarks of state-sponsored
hijacking.
We are calling for
an independent enquiry into this occurrence and appropriate immediate response
by safety and security authorities. This unprecedented act of unlawful
interference will potentially upend all the assumptions about the safest
response to bomb threats on flight and interceptions. Without trust and
reliable information from States and Air Navigation Service Providers, handling
both types of events becomes much riskier to manage.
IFALPA and ECA
stress that the pilot-in-command always has the best overview of the actual
situation on board and must be able to react according to the level of risk,
regardless of external circumstances. Any measures taken by States to address a
specific threat should enhance the crew's ability to assess the situation
thoroughly.
Any military
intervention against a civilian aircraft constitutes a wilful hazard to the
safety of passengers and crew. IFALPA and ECA urge States and the International
Aviation Community to investigate and take swift measures against similar
occurrences. We also call upon the airline to provide full support to the pilots
and cabin crew on board, both during the future investigation and regarding
their physical and mental well-being after such a challenging and stressful
event.
Ingen kommentarer:
Legg inn en kommentar
Merk: Bare medlemmer av denne bloggen kan legge inn en kommentar.