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A pilot locked his female co-pilot out of the cockpit after she left to use the toilet. He has since been grounded for engaging in the petty act. The incident happened on the Sri Lankan Airlines flight from Sydney to Colombo on Monday. The captain allegedly locked out the First Officer during the 10-hour trip following an altercation. Local reports suggest that the captain was angry because the First Officer had failed to arrange for a replacement for the duration she was away as per the standard operating procedures. They had even had a verbal spat about the same before she left. After returning from the toilet, the co-pilot failed to enter the cockpit. A tense standoff ensued between the two mid-flight as the captain refused to open the door. A senior flight attendant intervened to end the drama and negotiated with the captain over the plane's interphone system, asking him to let the co-pilot back into the cockpit. There were 297 passengers on the aircraft which safely landed at its destination later. Different airlines have different rules regarding the number of pilots required to be present inside the cockpit. However, most mandate that two of them are in the cockpit at all times. This follows incidents of lone pilots left in control on a few occasions, leading to safety concerns. On similar lines, Sri Lankan Airlines also requires at least two people to be in the cockpit at any one time. The airline released a statement confirming that the Captain had been grounded after the incident aboard flight UL607 from Sydney to Colombo, on September 21. “The airline is fully cooperating with the relevant authorities, and the captain has been grounded pending the outcome of the investigation,” the airline said in a statement. "Safety and compliance with all regulatory requirements remain Sri Lankan Airlines' top priorities." Anamica Singh started her career as a sports journalist and then moved on to writing on entertainment, news and lifestyle. She dabbles in copy editing, vid None
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