Flying is just not the same anymore... .

[ND66]

It just like a Murphy's Law:

"Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong"

Jetliner pilot locked out of cockpit after toilet break

OTTAWA, Ontario (Reuters) -- The pilot of a Canadian airliner who went to the washroom during a flight found himself locked out of the cockpit, forcing the crew to remove the door from its hinges to let him back in, the airline said on Wednesday.

The incident occurred aboard a flight from Ottawa to Winnipeg on Saturday. The regional jet, capable of carrying 50 people, was operated by Air Canada's Jazz subsidiary.

Jazz spokeswoman Manon Stewart said that with 30 minutes of the flight to go, the pilot went to the washroom, leaving the first officer in charge. But when he tried to get back into the cockpit, the door would not open.

"The door malfunctioned ... this is a very rare occurrence," Stewart said, adding that the crew's decision to remove the door had been in line with company policy.

A report in the Ottawa Citizen newspaper said that for about 10 minutes "passengers described seeing the pilot bang on the door and communicating with the cockpit through an internal telephone, but being unable to open the door."

Stewart said the paper's report was "a bit dramatic" and stressed that at no time had the plane or passengers been in danger. She did not say how many people had been on board.

[az]

As I understand it, the first officer was still in the cockpit and could have landed the plane.

[ND66]

Regardless, just imagine what was going in those passenger minds with all the other crap happening lately, like diverted planes etc.

.

[VJ]

As I understand it, the first officer was still in the cockpit and could have landed the plane.

True... But most (larger) aircraft require 2 pilots for proper operation (not only for safety reasons). Doing it alone requires more assistance from the ground (regarding navigation, ...).

It does sound like the "safe cockpit door" isn't as safe as it advertised: the could just lift it out of the hinges?
(but perhaps this was done from the inside)

Yes, flying is not the same anymore...
I wonder, will we see a decline in air travel because of it becoming more cumbersome?

Jörg

[Brian Ellis]

I wonder, will we see a decline in air travel because of it becoming more cumbersome?

Undoubtedly, when the check-in to take off time exceeds the flying time, what's the point? The Eurostar train London-Paris has seen a 50% increase in traffic, even put on a couple of extra trains.

OK, on an island here, we have no alternative, but I cast my mind back to when I was living near Lausanne. Today, to go to Paris, it would be:

By plane:
0.00 hours (time to suit depature time)
0.45 arrive Cointrin airport, join check-in queue
1.00 check in, if I'm lucky
1.10 join security queue
3.30 pass security
3.40 reach gate security
4.00 pass gate security
4.30 plane departure announced for 5.00, 1 hour late
5.15 boarding starts
5.30 passenger missing because he got fed up and went home
6.00 passengers disembark to identify their baggage on the tarmac
6.30 plane ready to leave, but no take-off slot available
7.15 plane finally takes off, 3¼ hours late
8.30 plane lands Orly
8.45 join queue (the short one for EU citizens) for immigration control
9.00 guy in front of you is not EU citizen and cannot understand the officer
9.15 reach baggage carousel: no baggage
9.30 baggage arrives
9.35 pass Customs, green line
9.45 get on RER train into the city
10.15 arrive at hotel, totally buggered from the stress, hungry and thirsty.
Cost: CHF 350-400 return, economy

By TGV:
0.00 leave house
0.25 go to station platform
0.35 seated, computer plugged in with loads of leg room
0.40 TGV leaves
1.10 customs formalities on train, as it travels from Vallorbe to Dijon
4.30 train reaches Paris, Gare de Lyon, after eating on train, served at your seat
4.35 in taxi
5.00 arrive at hotel, totally relaxed.
Cost: CHF 250-300 return, first class + € 35 for taxi.

Which sounds more attractive?

And don't think I'm exaggerating: I have neighbours who returned from Manchester 3 days ago and they had pretty much the experience as I recounted it above, arriving home nearly 4 hours late.

[ND66]

Thats sounds good if train is an option.

In Europe trains have better connections then in US. I did try to explore a train ride from Chicago to Orland Florida & I would be better off just driving there over 1000 miles one way... .

[cjolley]

Thats sounds good if train is an option.

In Europe trains have better connections then in US. I did try to explore a train ride from Chicago to Orland Florida & I would be better off just driving there over 1000 miles one way... .

We took a 5,000 mile Amtrak trip (great big circle around the western half of the US) in 1999 and were in TWO train wrecks.
One high-speed derailment and one obliteration of a Semi and it's driver.

Took 5 years to get me back on a train.

I still wouldn't ride one far.
Our last ride was Seatle to Vancouver and back last year.
Nice and slow, some of the track Canadian (and therefore well maintained).
Very nice trip.

[KvHagedorn]

We took a 5,000 mile Amtrak trip (great big circle around the western half of the US) in 1999 and were in TWO train wrecks.
One high-speed derailment and one obliteration of a Semi and it's driver.

Took 5 years to get me back on a train.

I still wouldn't ride one far.
Our last ride was Seatle to Vancouver and back last year.
Nice and slow, some of the track Canadian (and therefore well maintained).
Very nice trip.

Track maintenance costs money. What are you, a communist?

[Technoid]

Track maintenance costs money. What are you, a communist?

What is it with you americans and communists??

You seems to use it as any other would use the boogeyman

[Dilitante1]

communists WERE the boogeyman for many decades

[ND66]

We took a 5,000 mile Amtrak trip (great big circle around the western half of the US) in 1999 and were in TWO train wrecks.
One high-speed derailment and one obliteration of a Semi and it's driver.

Took 5 years to get me back on a train.

I still wouldn't ride one far.
Our last ride was Seatle to Vancouver and back last year.
Nice and slow, some of the track Canadian (and therefore well maintained).
Very nice trip.

Man, you & your luck... .

[KvHagedorn]

What is it with you americans and communists??

You seems to use it as any other would use the boogeyman

Some Americans think that any word said against corporations and their greed is like treason or something, so communism being the traditional enemy and the opposite of the blindered worship of the capitalistic totem...

[Nowhere]

http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2006/8/16/94438/3484

I've read it recently, guess it's ontopic...

[Jessterw]

Somewhat amusing to me is that I've been flying my whole life and the only things that have become truly worse are the whole security rigamarole and that the airline attendants just aren't as good looking

That said, every flight I've been on recently has been damn near packed. Then again, you can't take a train from here to where I've been going these last few years. Definitely seen a drop in continental air travel, with more people opting for cross-country drives, though I've also seen this trend start to reverse.

[Dr Mordrid]

the only things that have become truly worse are the whole security rigamarole and that the airline attendants just aren't as good looking

Ahhhhhh.....the good old days of "Fly Me", miniskirt uniforms and stopover quickies with off duty stewadesses

Gawd....did I ever love flying SAS and BOAC/BA in the 60's & 70's