Indonesia’s Batik Air pilots fall asleep mid-flight

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Indonesia’s Batik Air pilots fall asleep mid-flight | Secret Flying

Batik Air faces probe after pilots fall asleep mid-flight.

 

Indonesia is conducting an inquiry into Batik Air, a local airline, following an incident where both pilots were found to have fallen asleep for a duration of 28 minutes during a flight.

 

The incident occurred on January 25th during a flight from Sulawesi to Jakarta. Both pilots, who have been temporarily suspended pending the investigation, had fallen asleep mid-flight. One of the pilots, aged 32, cited exhaustion due to caring for his newborn twins as the reason for his fatigue.

 

Despite the lapse in attention, the Airbus A320 aircraft briefly deviated from its intended course but eventually landed safely, with no injuries reported among the 153 passengers and crew onboard.

 

According to a report from the transport ministry, the 32-year-old pilot had requested his co-pilot, aged 28, to assume control of the aircraft approximately 30 minutes after takeoff, stating his need for rest. The co-pilot agreed to take over but unintentionally fell asleep as well.

 

During this period of unconsciousness, air traffic control in Jakarta attempted to establish contact with the cockpit of the Batik Air A320 but received no response. The silence endured for 28 minutes until the lead pilot awakened and discovered that both he and his co-pilot had been asleep. Additionally, they found that the aircraft had momentarily veered off course.

 

Following the awakening, the pilots responded to calls from Jakarta and successfully landed the plane without further incident.

 

Prior to the flight, medical assessments had deemed both pilots fit for duty, with normal blood pressure and heart rates, as well as negative results from alcohol tests. However, aviation expert Alvin Lie noted that these tests did not assess the quality of their rest.

 

In response to the incident, Batik Air has received strong reprimands from authorities. M. Kristi Endah Murni, Indonesia’s head of air transport, emphasized the importance of Batik Air ensuring adequate rest time for its crew.

 

Batik Air has stated that it operates with an adequate rest policy and is committed to implementing all safety recommendations. This incident is not the first time the airline has faced scrutiny, as in 2019, it was involved in an emergency landing due to a pilot fainting.