Air Malta Pilot in 9/11 Breach ? Daily Mirror

[dicksorchard]

This is an article taken from todays Daily Mirror . Imagine having Mr Brian Damms snooping on your cockpit ? Read his quotes in red . unbelievable .




Air Malta pilot pilot's niece in '9/11 breach'- Exclusive


http://images.mirror.co.uk/design/transparent.gif
http://images.mirror.co.uk/design/transparent.gif By Stephen Moyes (http://www.mirror.co.uk/authors/stephen-moyes/) 26/01/2009 (http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/01/26/)
A pilot broke anti-terror rules by allowing his niece in the cockpit, it was claimed yesterday.
Shocked passenger Brian Damms says the girl, in her late teens, was there throughout the flight from Malta to London - in breach of regulations introduced after 9/11.
Mr Damms, 65, claims he saw her go into the cockpit before the jet took off. He said: "It was amazing. The pilot ushered her in to sit with him before take-off and seemed totally oblivious to the rules.
"We heard him explaining to crew members what was going on, but everyone found it very uncomfortable.
"It's impossible to say who may have been indoctrinated with terrorist sympathies, and that is why the law is so rigid about cockpit access." Mr Damms, returning from Luqa to Heathrow on Air Malta's Flight KM100, added: "I was nervous because I knew the rules had been breached."

Last night the Department for transport confirmed that in UK airspace no one is allowed in the cockpit without a "justifiable operational need".
The airline has ordered an investigation into the alleged incident on January 12. But an Air Malta spokesman said the pilot insisted his niece left the cockpit as soon as the plane entered UK airspace, which Mr Damms rejects.
He claimed: "I watched her leave the cockpit on touchdown at Heathrow. She was there the whole time."
The airline spokesman added: "From the report submitted by the commander the flight was conducted in accordance with statutory requirements.
"The cockpit door policy was observed. One passenger who was personally known to the captain was allowed to visit the cockpit over French airspace."

[Re-Heat]

Yes, illegal and all that, but why is a passenger nervous as the rules have been breached? What society do be live in that people are scared of rule breaches rather than actual terror?

Was he concerned about the chap sitting beside him foaming at the mouth? Presumably not, if within the rules?

Fool.

[Final 3 Greens]

I have flown with this airline many times, going on for 180.

Nothing I have seen ( and I often sit in row 1) has ever made me feel uncomfortable about security on Air Malta.

Malta does not work like larger countries, e.g. the UK and although it seems very different (until you get used to it), the Maltese know what they are doing.

This applies to many facets of life, not just to the airline.

[flyinthesky]

As usual, total scaremongering in order to sell tawdry trash to the masses. Why should I not have my wife or son sat next to me in the flight deck. They are less of a risk in a hijack situation than having them in the cabin and being used as a bargaining tool!

It is only the H&S gone mad UK that really insists on continuing this stupidity.

No, we should not have flight deck visits anymore (more is the pity though!) however, relatives of the flight deck pose no more threat than any one person loitering with intent near the forward wc and waiting for an opportune moment.

It will never happen as long as the hairy legged, sandal wearing brigade rule the quangos, but hey common sense is hard to come by these days.

Metal cutlery everywhere EXCEPT on sectors in/out the UK. Come on - get real. I could kill someone easily with a broken plastic knife or a ballpoint pen!!!

[Safety Concerns]

I am sure Pablo is reading this with interest.

Just for the record final 3 greens your comments about the Pablo, same situation:

For some of the posters here expressing outrage at the actions of MYT, you would be well advised to become familiar with 'gross misconduct' which includes serious breach of H&S regulations.

No one likes to see someone lose their livelihood, especially in a public arena.
On the other hand, a company is well within the law for dismissing someone for one act of gross misconduct.

For the record, as a frequent passenger, I don't feel any safer since the introduction of these rules and detest them as many pilots do, but breaking them will expose the individual to dismissal on the grounds of gross misconduct in my opinion.

[Final 3 Greens]

Safety Concerns

For some of the posters here expressing outrage at the actions of MYT, you would be well advised to become familiar with 'gross misconduct' which includes serious breach of H&S regulations.

Your point in quoting this is? It is as valid a comment as when I wrote it.

No one likes to see someone lose their livelihood, especially in a public arena.
On the other hand, a company is well within the law for dismissing someone for one act of gross misconduct.


This is also still as true as ever.

For the record, as a frequent passenger, I don't feel any safer since the introduction of these rules and detest them as many pilots do, but breaking them will expose the individual to dismissal on the grounds of gross misconduct in my opinion.

This is also true.

According to the quote in the OP

The airline spokesman added: "From the report submitted by the commander the flight was conducted in accordance with statutory requirements.

No transgression = no gross misconduct = no dismissal.

So what point are you making?

[Carrier]

Quote: “It is only the H&S gone mad UK that really insists on continuing this stupidity.”

Not so! Please sign the attached petition: Time for Family Access to the Flight Deck! Petition : [ powered by iPetitions.com ] (http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/flightdeckaccess/?e)

[the bald eagle]

Lets face it the geezer was out to make a bob or two and get his name in lights or paper in this case

I have flown with Air Malta countless amounts of times right back when they were flying the B720 and got my 1st cockpit take off / landing with them when i was just a student pilot

They like all professional pilots know what they are doing and quite frankly i don't give a :mad: who visits the flight deck and at what stage of the flight.
I got the impression that Pilots were only to happy to have people visit their office during the flight especially when the person is just a PPL or a young child seeing a flight deck for the 1st time and to see the faces of happiness on these people gave a good sense of job satisfaction.

Should we now just vet people when they board the plane a bit like St Peter on the gate deciding whether your good for heaven or hell?

Goind to a Palace v Millwall match is far more dangerous than the pilots niece visiting the flight deck:*

[Diver_Dave]

My previous comments on another thread
regarding KM pricing to be disregarded.

It's not often I feel obliged to write anything on the R&N threads,I'm
not an airline profesional but...

In this case it's just plane stuid (pun intended)

I have never found them to be anything less than totally
professional.

One of my favourite airlines to fly.

His niece, arghh...... my G*d.

A terrorist risk..

Where was she going to hi-jack the plane to?

Last time I checked the Vaticanof it's own didn't have an aerodrome !

I'll get off of my soapbox now.

DaveA

[PAXboy]

It's the Daily Mirror
It's a journo making money
It will be forgotten t'row (by all except those affected)I hope that journalists will have ignored this 'journo' story that was entirely self-satisfying. Terrible for the people involved.

[JanetFlight]

...another MasterPiece of Journalism..:ugh:

[Air767]

As long as he knew the person entering the cockpit it should be at the discretion of the flight crew to allow the person inside!!
It is very common to receive complaints from this place of every type, they are difficult people!!
Complaints,Complaints,Complaints you never make them happy!!

[UPP]

Have flown KM dozens of times. Usually row 1. Am going next week, in fact. Over the years I think I've seen cockpit visits 3 or 4 times. Except for one, these were all pre 9/11.

One was my wife, and the last time, a couple of months ago, was a kid - in fact so were the others - who may well have been Maltese, by the look of him.

So next week I'll have to be on guard then, helping to defend democracy against a 10 year old who's always wanted to be a pilot.

[Bealzebub]

Passengers may not be in the flight deck of any airliner operating in UK airspace. This is a legally mandated instruction. All crew should be aware of it, and their managements will be aware of the sanctions that may result from a breach of that instruction.

Whatever the rationale or opinions of individual captains (or anybody else) concerning this rule, they are obliged to comply with it. It is naive to assume that on a passenger airliner, nobody is going to notice a transgression. More than likely it will be noticed and reported by another crewmember or passenger, with all the attendant problems that will cause them and their employer.

The airline spokesperson in this case has stated that the relevant rules were observed, and nothing in a tabloid newspaper article should be afforded any particular gravitas or allusion to accuracy. The airline is conducting it's own investigation and if a complaint has been made, no doubt it will be answered.

However it does highlight the fact that these days (and particularly in a metal tube containing 150 or more sets of watchfull eyes/ cameras/ camera phones etc.) the crew need to be vigilant, circumspect, and professional at all times. Failing this, your transgressions or shortcomings run the risk of being tabloid fodder, or the latest highlighted offering on Youtube!

[lizbet]

Outside the UK the rules are not as draconian and Captains have been given back authority in various countries/airlines to allow family members even friends into the flightdeck - in our outfit with a signed form from the fleet chief.

Mind you I wouldn't do it to/from the UK (even outside their airspace) as I know how anal they are there still.

[mickchick]

I was on a BA flight to New York when Willie Walsh was a passenger in First. The captain came out and invited him into the cockpit. Can't imagine the passengers were endangered by having non-crew within one lunge of the joystick, but if anyone's life was on the line in there, it was Willie's, what with his having cut the pilots' wages.
And just a thought: wonder if the cc did anything wicked to his drinks and food? The temptation must have been irresistible.

[Bealzebub]

Whatever else it might have been, it wasn't a violation of the DfT rules for Mr Walsh to be there.

[Final 3 Greens]

Passengers may not be in the flight deck of any airliner operating in UK airspace. This is a legally mandated instruction. All crew should be aware of it, and their managements will be aware of the sanctions that may result from a breach of that instruction.

Beazelbub

I fly KM a lot.

I've seen pax visit the flight deck regularly, as Maltese rules permit this. I've also seen them exit over France (i.e. over land, before feet wet), when the destination is the UK.

Unless one has a moving map showing the FIR boundary, I guess a pax could confuse compliance with non compliance, especially as the aircraft will reach TOD quite a long way before the FIR boundary and will be descending when the pax leave.

Astart off with a pax who is concerned about security, with a differnt set of rules about what is allowed and then observing what appears to be a breach and one can understand what might have happened.

Malta being Malta, everyone knows everbody and although it is difficult for people from large countries to understand, this reduces the risk factor considerably IMO.

[Bealzebub]

F3G,

I am sure your observations are entirely accurate, and I have no doubt Air Malta do fully comply with all the rules and any restrictions that they are subject to in this respect. For the avoidance of doubt, responsibility for not being in the cockpit at the appropriate time doesn't fall on the passengers shoulders, it is the reponsibility of the Commander. He or she will know when to apply the relevant procedures.

Whilst I accept your observations about Malta being a small country where everybody knows everybody, that doesn't provide any immunity whatsoever from being used as a vehicle for acts of terrorism. Indeed the bombing of PA103 over Lockerbie involved foreign agents in Malta allegedly. KM was also the carrier supposedly used to interline the weapon to Frankfurt before it was loaded on to the 727 that took it on to London and then the 747 that took it only 300 miles further!

These days it is naive to assume you will neither be a target or a mule. Terrorists look for weak points in order to ensure success. Those airlines and countries that still provide these weaknesses and further advertise the fact, lay themselves open to greater risk. One significant incident, and they will (if they survive) change their own proceedures whilst the world castigates their governments for their lax attitude to safety and security.

[Final 3 Greens]

Beazelbub

I agree with you point of view, especially about the PIC making the command decisions. My comment about moving maps was somewhat tongure in cheek, as I am sure you understood.

However, I would like to make a couple of counter points.

Firstly, I said that Malta being a small country 'reduces' the risk factor; there is no 'immunity' from terrorism. (for the avoidance of doubt, I understand 'immunity' in the sense of 'exemption from' - i.e. FM immune, immune from public service)

My comment was trying empathise with the passenger who said he was frightened by what he observed, as I understand that he might find it alarming.

Having lived in both countries, they work quite differently and have different dynamics; personally I feel much safer in Malta than in the urban UK.

Secondly, with reference to your comments about the Lockerbie incident, you may find the link below to be interesting, given your careful use of the word 'allegedly'; the comments of the Maltese readers are interesting too, a balance of 'it left from here' and 'it couldn't have left from here.'

timesofmalta.com - Malta had 'no connection' with Lockerbie bomb - government (http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090823/local/malta-had-no-connection-with-lockerbie-bomb-government)

With all the smoke and mirrors surrounding Lockerbie, it is difficult to make sense of the truth.

It might also be wise to remember that the case containing the bomb passed through security checks at both FRA and LHR (I believe that it was not scanned at London.)

The whole system is rather tighter these days, which brings me full circle to my main point, which is I have never seen KM fail to comply with UK law on peeps in the flight deck (part of the system) and I've taken nearly 200 flights with the company over the past few years, usually in row 1.