Ethiopian Airlines has suspended the crew of a flight where two pilots fell asleep and missed the landing window in Addis Ababa.
Although the plane eventually landed safely, the incident raised questions about the fatigue of the pilots of Africa's largest airline, according to experts.
} Aviation Herald, a news website for the aviation industry, reported on Thursday that two pilots were flying a Boeing 737 from Sudan's capital Khartoum to Addis Ababa. "After flying over [the runway] … the autopilot was disconnected and the disconnected Wailer woke the crew and maneuvered the aircraft for a safe landing," the report said.
Ethiopian Airlines said Friday that the crew had been "removed from service pending further investigation. Appropriate corrective action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation. Safety is always of the utmost importance." It's a priority and will continue to be."
The statement did not clarify whether the pilot was asleep.
Hassan Shahidi of the Flight Safety Foundation, an independent non-profit organization, told VOA that pilot fatigue can be attributed to "exactly how many hours of flight." At the end of the day, if the crew was tired, or if fatigue
US, EU regulations
Like Ethiopian Airlines, US and European Union Airlines flying to and from the airport are bound by safety rules set by European regulatory bodies. those jurisdictions. Failure to meet these rules could result in the airline being banned from flying to US and her EU destinations.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency, the EU aviation regulator, told his VOA in an email that it was aware of the incident.
As part of its ongoing surveillance of non-EU airlines, the authorities have evaluated information from a number of sources and have taken "appropriate measures to ensure operations meet safety expectations."
Authorities said they would not comment on individual cases.
It said it was unlikely that its ability to fly to the US and EU would be compromised.
Ethiopian Airlines is Africa's largest airline and experts say it has good safety. Shawn Mendis, former Regional Airline Manager for Africa, said: I have already been on two Ethiopian Airlines flights this week. I have another appointment in the next few weeks. And as you know Ethiopian Airlines is one of the safest airlines in Africa and indeed in the world.
The results of the investigation were expected soon as Ethiopian Airlines sought to address concerns about passenger safety.
