Access to Aircraft Cockpits

Mr Yee Jenn Jong asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether Singapore-based airlines have a two-person cockpit rule or other systems to protect the cockpit; and (b) whether their pilots are required to be subjected to periodic psychological tests.

The Senior Minister of State for Transport (Mrs Josephine Teo)(for the Minister for Transport) : Mdm Speaker, all Singapore-based airlines have implemented measures to ensure that there are at least two persons in the cockpit at all times. All pilots on Singapore-based airlines must annually undergo a medical assessment which includes an evaluation of the pilot's mental health. For pilots 60 years and older, the medical assessment is conducted every six months. These requirements are consistent with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.

In addition, CAAS regulations require pilots to declare any ill health at any time. Our airlines are also required to have procedures to enable a pilot to report on a fellow pilot who, in the former's opinion, is not fit to fly. Pilots may submit confidential reports to the authorities or through their airlines' in-house reporting systems.

Thank you, Madam. I thank the Senior Minister of State for the answer. First of all, condolences to those who have lost their loved ones at the recent Lufthansa Germanwings incident. I would like to confirm if this multi-layered cockpit security applies to all Singapore-based airlines, including the budget airlines? The next question I have is: how many years have these rules been in operation, both the two-men cockpit rule as well as the periodic psychological tests.

Mdm Speaker, as I have indicated in my earlier reply, this is a requirement that our Singapore airlines, on their own, have decided to implement. To the Member's question as to how long this rule has been in effect, it differs from country to country. In the US, for example, the rule was instituted post 9-11; in Canada, Australia and Germany, the rule was introduced in response to the Germanwings incident. In our case, to the best of our knowledge, the airlines introduced it quite recently.