Air France Confirms That Two Pilots Are Under Investigation For a Mid-Flight Brawl in the Cockpit

The Captain and First Officer of Air France have been suspended and are under investigation for having a physical altercation in the cockpit, according to a spokesman for the airline.

The cabin crew heard the pilots fighting in the cockpit and had to break up the fight by entering the flight deck.

The flight attendants stayed on the flight deck to keep the pilots from fighting again. It's not clear what caused the pilots to fall out during the flight.

The flight continued without incident and landed safely, according to the Air France spokesman. The Captain and First Officer are on leave.

Just days ago, France's national aviation accident agency published a highly critical report of the "just safety" culture among Air France pilots.

There is a certain culture among some Air France crews which encourages a tendency to underestimate the extent to which strict compliance with procedures contributes to safety.

In several recent investigations, the BEA found that the crew at Air France had failed to carry out procedures in a way that was in line with their training.

Safety margins were reduced without the crew being aware of it, according to investigators.

The way in which Air France pilots handled a fuel leak on an A330 flight was investigated by the BEA.

After taking off, the pilots noticed they were short of fuel and began a fuel leak procedure at the point where they were supposed to stop one of the engines.

The Captain'spensity to express himself first made it difficult for the co-pilots to express their opinions. A fire hazard was presented by the decision not to shut the engine down.

In September 2020 there was an incident in which the pilots of an A319 tried to make a fast but destabilizing approach to landing at Paris Orly Airport.

Air France pilots are suffering from depression andchronic fatigue according to the union. Air France Group chief executive Benjamin Smith was trying to hit profit targets despite warnings that flight safety could be at risk, according to the Alter union.

As an international flight attendant, Maszczynski worked at the most prominent airline in the Middle East and has been flying for a well-known European airline. He is an expert in passenger experience and human-centered stories. Some of the biggest names in journalism rely on Matt's industry insights, analysis and news coverage often.