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Brussels Airlines imposes rule for permanent presence of 2 crew members in cockpit

Xinhua, March 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

Brussels Airlines has decided to impose a rule wherein a "permanent" presence of two crew members in an aircraft's cockpit is necessary, a company spokesman confirmed to Xinhua on Friday.

Earlier in the day, the Belgian tour operator Thomas Cook also announced similar measures to strengthen its security rules in the cockpit.

The Belgian tour operator said it would now require a hostess or steward to be present in the cabin during the absence of a pilot.

This comes after the fatal crash of the Germanwings aircraft in the French Alps while on its way from Barcelona to Duesseldorf on Tuesday.

The crash occurred after the co-pilot locked other crew members out of the cockpit and allowed the aircraft to descend into the mountainside. All 150 passengers and crew members on board were killed.

Following the disaster, several airlines announced they were revising their safety procedures, making it obligatory for more than one crew member to be in the cockpit at a given time. Endit