Report on Germanwings disaster calls for tougher pilot checks
Investigators into last year’s Germanwings disaster have called for more stringent medical checks for pilots and for medical confidentiality to be relaxed.
But their final report, published on Sunday, has not recommended changes to rules to prevent pilots from locking the cockpit door from the inside.
Investigators believe co-pilot Andreas Lubitz deliberately brought down Flight 9525 in the French Alps on March 24, killing all 150 on board.
Lubitz had locked the Captain out of the cockpit using a system put in place to prevent hijackings or terror attacks.
The report said it was not possible to create a locking system to stop threats coming from both outside and inside the cockpit.
Since the disaster, many airlines now require that at least two people remain in the cockpit at all times.
The report by the BEA investigation agency said Lubitz had been suffering from severe depression and, in the weeks leading up to the crash, had been referred for psychiatric hospital treatment.
But, due to patient confidentiality, his employer had not been informed.
The report said clearer rules were needed and that confidentiality needs to be balanced with the risk posed to public safety.
It was also critical of pilots being able to make self-declarations about their health, which effectively allows them to hide any illnesses.
Germanwings parent Lufthansa Group has already acknowledged it knew Lubitz had suffered from severe depression in 2009 while training for his pilot’s licence.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026