Not every airline is required to keep two people in the cockpit when one pilot steps out. There is no single global mandate: regulators set different rules, and airlines can have their own procedures. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) currently recommends two authorised people in the flight deck, including at least one pilot at the controls, but says its recommendation is not mandatory. The safety case is plausible, but the sources cited here do not quantify how many lives the policy saves.
What the two-person cockpit rule requires
The policy applies when a flight crew member leaves the flight deck: another authorised person remains with the pilot who stays. Under EASA’s current recommendation, that second person does not necessarily have to be a pilot, but at least one pilot must remain at the controls. This is not a requirement for two pilots to sit at their stations every moment; flight rules permit certain absences for operational duties, physiological needs, or qualified relief during rest.
Having someone remain is only one part of the procedure. EASA says operators should define that person’s responsibilities and training, manage secure door access and communication, and guard against distraction or accidental interference with the controls. EASA Safety Information Bulletin 2016-09R1
Why the policy returned to focus after 2015
The debate intensified after Germanwings Flight 9525 crashed in March 2015. A pilot who had left the cockpit was unable to regain access. In response, EASA first recommended having two crew members, including a qualified pilot, on the flight deck. It later replaced that immediate recommendation with guidance for operators to assess safety and security risks and decide whether to use the procedure. Its bulletin issued on 18 May 2026 again identifies two-person occupancy as the preferred approach, while keeping the recommendation non-mandatory. EASA says the concern does not currently warrant a Safety Directive. EASA Safety Information Bulletin 2016-09R1
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Canada also introduced an interim measure in 2015 requiring one flight crew member and another authorised person to remain on the flight deck when a pilot left. That order was a response to the crash and was intended to bridge the period while longer-term policy was considered. It is historical: the current Canadian provision discussed below does not state that same general requirement. Transport Canada, 2015 interim order
What current rules say in the jurisdictions reviewed
| Jurisdiction and source | What it says | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| European Union: EASA bulletin issued 18 May 2026 | Recommends at least two authorised people in the flight crew compartment during flight, with at least one pilot at the controls. EASA says recommendations are not mandatory. | Agency preference, not a binding universal rule. EASA bulletin |
| United States: 14 CFR 121.543 | Requires flight crewmembers to remain at assigned stations, subject to exceptions for duties, physiological needs, and qualified relief during rest. It does not state a general requirement for an additional person. | This section alone does not establish every airline’s manual or every US flight operation. 14 CFR 121.543 |
| Canada: CAR 705.29 | Requires flight crew to remain at stations subject to specified exceptions; it does not state a general second-person occupancy requirement. | The 2015 interim order should not be treated as the current rule based on that historical notice. CAR 705.29 |
This is a snapshot of the sources cited, not a survey of every country. National rules also do not necessarily reveal an airline’s internal procedures. A claim about a particular carrier needs that carrier’s own published policy or other direct evidence.
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Why adoption differs
Some regulators recommend it; others do not impose the same rule
EASA’s bulletin is advisory. The US and Canadian provisions above govern crew members’ assigned stations and permitted absences, but do not state the same general requirement for an additional authorised person. That difference in legal force matters: a regulator’s preferred practice is not automatically a binding obligation on every airline, everywhere.
The extra person must be managed, not simply present
The policy is intended to provide help if the pilot at the controls becomes incapacitated or if the pilot outside cannot regain entry. But a second person’s presence creates operational tasks: that person needs clear responsibilities, suitable training, and a safe way to communicate and manage the door without distracting the pilot or interfering with controls. EASA says operational experience and feedback have not indicated that policy-related risks outweigh the risk of a crew member being locked out; that is the agency’s assessment, not a numerical estimate of the policy’s effect. EASA Safety Information Bulletin 2016-09R1
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Cabin coverage and workload are part of the trade-off
When a flight attendant serves as the additional authorised person, that can affect staffing in the cabin. Transport Canada’s review noted the possible consequence of taking a flight attendant away from cabin duties. EASA’s guidance also addresses workload, training, secure entry and exit, and emergency communication. The relevant question is therefore not only whether a second person is present, but whether the procedure works safely in that crew and cabin context. Transport Canada, 2015 interim order EASA bulletin
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does the rule demonstrably save lives?
The rationale is straightforward: another authorised person may help if the pilot remaining at the controls is incapacitated or if the other pilot cannot regain cockpit access. EASA describes the likelihood of pilot incapacitation or intentional acts as “very low,” but the cited bulletin gives no numerical probability. The sources also do not provide a numerical estimate of lives saved by two-person cockpit policies. It is accurate to describe the policy as a safety measure with a plausible mechanism; it is not accurate to present a quantified lifesaving effect as established by this evidence. EASA Safety Information Bulletin 2016-09R1
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