COCKPIT CHRONICLES
The aviation ministry is considering a proposal to take away a flight commander's operational control over a plane’s cabin crew.
Who has the final authority on board an airborne plane?
The captain is the final authority. Every person on board has to obey all commands which he issues for the purpose of securing the safety of the aircraft and of the persons on board.
What is the captain mandated by law to do?
The captain is the head of a plane after take-off
He is the final authority in deciding who should be on an aircraft
In case of emergencies, the captain takes the final call on what action to take
He takes the final call on offloading passengers who misbehave on board
He takes the call on an emergency landing if a passenger on board is sick
Who will be cabin crew report to?
They will report to the seniormost member of the cabin crew.
How will the proposed change affect the chain of command on board a flight?
If the rules are changed, then the duties and responsibilities have to be redefined to avoid ambiguity. This is expected to throw up several grey areas — like who will decide on offloading a drunk passenger — as this kind of a dual command structure has never been attempted before.