Overview

• A Lufthansa Airbus A321 flew for 10 minutes without pilot supervision in February 2024 after the co-pilot fainted due to an undiagnosed neurological condition.
• Autopilot maintained flight stability during the incident, though the incapacitated co-pilot unintentionally operated some controls.
• The captain, locked out of the cockpit after leaving to use the lavatory, regained access using an emergency code and diverted the flight to Madrid, where the co-pilot received medical attention.
• Spain’s Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission (CIAIAC) recommended requiring another authorized individual on the flight deck whenever one pilot exits.
• European regulators and Lufthansa are reviewing cockpit staffing protocols and medical screening standards in response to the report’s findings.