Apologies if this topic has already been posted
The article below was the front page lead in the Manchester Evening News of Tues 6th May (not April 1!)
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Plane in near-miss terror as the pilot showed off to boy (90pt headline)
Jet climbed steeply after youngster allowed in cockpit, say passengers
EXCLUSIVE - JOHN SCHEERHOUT
A PLANE from Manchester was forced to climb 10,000ft to avoid another jet because the pilot was showing off to a boy in the cockpit, terrified passengers said.
The pilot of the flight to Paris suddenly pitched left at 33,000ft and the crew allegedly announced the Airbus A380, with 143 passengers, had got ‘too close’ to another plane.
Air France has now launched an investigation after passengers at the front of the aircraft told how they saw one of the cabin crew escort a French boy, aged about 13, into the cockpit.
Shaun Robinson, 40, from Rossendale, said the jet 'rocked and rolled like in a fairground ride’ and passengers said prayers while children cried. He said: ‘The pilot was clearly showing off to this young boy.’
Taking passengers into the cockpit is contrary to rules brought in after the September 11 terror attacks.
The drama began when the Airbus A38O started its descent into Paris on Saturday morning.
Passengers say they could see the pilot making a movement to the left with the controls and the aircraft banked suddenly to the left. The aircraft pitched back to the right and passengers watched as the boy returned to his seat Then, passengers say, they heard alarm noises coming from the cockpit, whose door had been shut, and it is claimed the aircraft suddenly climbed 10,000 ft from its descent.
Mr Robinson said: "Suddenly the pilot made a sharp turn to the left, without warning, and then back again, obviously showing the young French boy how he flew his Airbus. After climbing rapidly by another 10,000 ft the pilot told us he was far too close to the plane in front and air traffic control urgently asked him to climb, climb."
A spokeswoman for Air France said: "Air France takes these allegations extremely seriously. We are investigating.''
■A jet packed with passengers from Majorca had to abort a landing when the pilot spotted drunken youths waving at him on the runway at Blackpool Airport. Ten teenagers were escorted from the runway.
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Front page leader Manchester Evening News Tue 6 May 2008