Air France has suspended two of its pilots following an altercation during which “inappropriate gestures were exchanged” in the cockpit during a Geneva-Paris flight in June.
Air France has suspended two of its pilots following an altercation during which “inappropriate gestures were exchanged” in the cockpit during a Geneva-Paris flight in June, AFP learned on Monday from the company. “Air France confirms that following a dispute between the two pilots at the controls of an A320 operating the Geneva-Paris route in June 2022, inappropriate gestures were exchanged”, indicates the company. “The pilots concerned are currently stopped from flying and are awaiting a managerial decision which will rule on the outcome and the treatment to be given to the event”, she adds.
According to the daily La Tribune, which revealed the information, the incident occurred shortly after takeoff in the climb phase when the co-pilot refused to follow instructions. The two men then grabbed each other by the collar while remaining in their cockpit. “The incident ended quickly without affecting either the conduct or the safety of the flight which continued normally”, according to Air France, which recalls that “the safety of its customers and crew members is its absolute priority”.
In a report recently made public, the French authority responsible for investigating aircraft accidents notes the recurrence of incidents during which safety rules were ignored by Air France crews. The Bureau of Investigations and Analysis (BEA) called on the company in particular to “put compliance with procedures back at the center of the company’s safety culture”.