Lufthansa, others adopt 'rule of two' for airline cockpits

Lufthansa said on Friday that it will now require two authorized crew members in the cockpit of its flights at all times.

The change will cover all the carriers in the Lufthansa Group, which includes Germanwings, Austrian Airlines and Swiss International Air Lines.

With the move, Lufthansa joins a number of other carriers that have done the same in the wake of the Tuesday crash of a Germwings Airbus A320. Investigating authorities believe co-pilot Andreas Lubitz deliberately crashed that flight after the captain left the cockpit and Lubitz subsequently refused to allow him back in.

Air Canada, EasyJet and Norwegian Air Shuttle are among about a half-dozen carriers to publicly announce a similar change since the crash.

U.S. rules already require at least two authorized people to remain in the cockpit at all times. For example, a flight attendant is to remain in the cockpit with a pilot if one pilot leaves briefly for food or the lavatory. Other regions have different rules, however, with many permitting a pilot to briefly remain alone in the cockpit.

Now, regulators from some of those regions are taking a fresh look at those requirements.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) recommended on Friday afternoon that all European airlines require two authorized people in the cockpit of a commercial flight.

In a statement, the agency says it was making "a temporary recommendation for airlines to ensure that at least two crew, including at least one qualified pilot, are in the flight crew compartment at all times of the flight. Airlines should re-assess the safety and security risks associated with a flight crew leaving the cockpit due to operational or physiological needs."

EASA said the updated guidance is based on "the information currently available following the accident" of Germanwings Flight 9525.

"While we are still mourning the victims, all our efforts focus on improving the safety and security of passengers and crews," EASA Executive Director Patrick Ky said in the statement.

Canadian Transport Minister Lisa Raitt said Thursday that a similar policy went into effect immediately for passenger flights there.

"If you're carrying passengers, this is going to apply to you," Raitt said in what The Globe and Mail of Toronto called "a surprise announcement outside the House of Commons."

Lufthansa says it will adopt the new procedure "as soon as possible." The company crafted its new rule in coordination with the German Federal Aviation Office and the German aviation industry.

Contributing: Bart Jansen