The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) yesterday morning asked Tigerair Taiwan to conduct an internal investigation into photographs that apparently showed pilots asleep on duty.
The airline in the afternoon issued a statement saying it had already concluded its probe and sanctioned the pilots.
The company, owned by the China Airlines (CAL), is the only Taiwan-based low-cost carrier.
The photographs were taken over a one-year period by an unnamed Tigerair Taiwan copilot who wanted to prove negligence on the part of the airline’s pilots, media reports said.
The CAA is aware of the allegations, CAA Director-General Lin Kuo-hsien (林國顯) said.
“We have asked Tigerair Taiwan to conduct an internal investigation first, as the photographs only show the pilots’ profiles. One cannot tell from the images if the incidents took place during the day or at night or if the aircraft were in the air, or on the ground. Nor do they show the dashboards of the aircraft,” he said.
Lin also questioned the copilot’s motives.
“There were only two people in the cockpit — the pilot and the copilot. Theoretically, the copilot should help the pilot stay alert during a flight and vice versa. If for some reason the pilot has to turn over the controls of the aircraft to their copilot, the copilot is then in charge of ensuring the safety of the flight. If the copilot detects any behavioral aberration on the part of the pilot, he or she should report the problems immediately, not disclose it one year later,” Lin said.
The copilot released photographs of eight different pilots, three of whom looked like they were sleeping while they were in a cockpit, making them likely targets of any CAA investigation, the agency said.
Tigerair Taiwan would face a fine of between NT$600,000 and NT$3 million (US$19,965 and US$99,827) if the pilots were found to have violated the Civil Aviation Act (民航法).
In a written statement, the airline said that it was very sorry about the photographs as they have caused members of the public to have doubts about the airline.
The airline promised to enhance the management of its cabin crew and other staff.
Of the eight pilots reportedly shown in the photographs, three have left the firm, while the others are still on active duty.
The company said it concluded the investigations yesterday afternoon into the three pilots who were appeared to be sleeping in the captain’s seat of a cockpit.
“Because we cannot ascertain definitely when the incidents occurred and what exactly happened, we have decided to assess the three pilots using the strictest standards,” the company said, adding that each of them would receive two written warnings and their supervisor would be given one warning.
The company would also continue its investigation into the copilot’s actions, as he failed to report the incidents as soon as they happened, it said.
Tigerair Taiwan employs 92 pilots, each of whom averages about 70 to 80 flight hours per month, the airline said.
The number is lower than the maximum legal limit of 120 flight hours.
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