Pilots engage in fisticuff during flight, suspended by airline

Air France has suspended two pilots who engaged each other in a fight inside the cockpit of an Airbus A320 flight from Geneva, Switzerland to Paris CDG, France.

In a statement by the airline, the pilot and copilot got into an argument shortly after takeoff and shortly after, engaged each other in a brawl before the cabin crew intervened and separated the combatants.

An airline spokesman said on Monday that the pilot and co-pilot, who remain nameless, had a dispute shortly after takeoff and grabbed each other by their collars after one of them threw a punch.

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“The incident was quickly resolved without affecting the conduct or safety of the flight, which continued normally.

“The pilots concerned are currently suspended from flying and are awaiting a managerial decision on the outcome/treatment of the incident. Air France reminds us that the safety of its customers and crew members is its absolute priority,” the airline spokesperson said in the statement.

The news about the fighting pilots was made public when the Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) released a report that noted multiple incidents in which Air France pilots did not adhere to safety procedures.