Tony Abbott says he is seeking more information on Australia’s aviation safety procedures as several countries around the world move to demand stricter cockpit rules after the Germanwings crash.
On Thursday it was revealed that flight 4U9525, which crashed into the French Alps and killed all 150 people on board, appeared to have crashed after the flight commander was locked out of the cockpit by the first officer, Andreas Lubitz.
Some international airlines have moved to introduce policies to ensure two crew members are always in the cockpit, while the Canadian government has directly intervened to make all its carriers enforce similar policies.
Australia’s aviation regulations are managed largely by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority but safety procedures are generally enforced by the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, which includes transport within its portfolio.
While Australia has detailed safety regulations that all airlines must comply with, it appears there is no specific reference to the number of crew members that must be present in the cockpit.
The prime minister said on Friday: “Whenever you’ve got a major aviation incident everyone reviews their safety procedures to ensure that our airlines are as safe as they possibly can be.”
When asked whether he he had spoken further to his international counterparts about possible responses to the disaster he said he been speaking with the deputy prime minister, Warren Truss, and was seeking a briefing on the matter.
A recording has emerged in which the cockpit voice recorder appears to show sounds of the captain, Patrick Sonderheimer, hammering on the door, while being ignored by his co-pilot flying the plane. Only breathing can be heard in the final eight minutes of the recording.
The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development has been contacted for comment. Virgin Australia and Qantas have also been contacted for comment about their procedures.
