Canadian North, First Air comply with new cockpit security order

Seen behind a security fence at the Iqaluit airport, Canadian North jet waits on the tarmac March 28, two days after a new order from Transport Canada boosted security inside the all Canadian aircraft. (PHOTO BY JANE GEORGE)

First Air and Canadian North each say they have complied immediately with a Transport Canada directive that requires them to keep at least two crew members inside their aircraft cockpits at all times.

The move follows a Transport Canada ordered made March 26 in response to the March 24 crash of a jet in France, when the co-pilot locked himself in the cockpit and then crashed the aircraft into a mountain, killing all 150 people on board.

Now, on all flights in Canada, where the captain or first officer is required to leave the flight deck, a flight attendant will occupy the flight deck and will remain there until the captain or first officer returns.

When making the announcement in the House of Commons March 26, federal transport minister Lisa Raitt said the new directive, which applies to all airlines in Canada, was seeking to fill a gap in the rules.

“Now, currently, there is not the requirement to have two members in the cabin. After this order, there will be a requirement to have two members in the cabin,” she said.

First Air’s president and CEO Brock Friesen told Nunatsiaq News that First Air had immediately complied with the new directive, as did Canadian North.

“The safety of our passengers and crew is, and will always be, our number one priority,” said Steve Hankirk, president of Canadian North in a March 27 news release.

“We have immediately taken the extra steps that have been requested by Minister Raitt in response to the tragic events of March 24, 2015 concerning Germanwings/Lufthansa flight 4U9525, so that we can give those that travel with us additional peace of mind.”