Pilots suspend for allowing actor in cockpit
Celebrity Mohammad Ramadan was captured in online video sitting in the co-pilot’s seat
Cairo: Egypt’s aviation authorities have said they suspended two pilots from duty pending an investigation after a celebrated actor appeared in an online video inside the cabin of their plane.
The video, which went viral online, showed Egyptian actor-cum-singer Mohammad Ramadan inside the cabin sitting next to a pilot and pretending to operate the aircraft. Ramadan was on a chartered flight on his way Saudi Arabia to perform there, according to aviation sources.
The Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement that the footage was authentic and the plane belonged to a private Egyptian airline, which it did not name.
“The authority has decided to suspend the captain of the flight and his assistant, and refer them to an urgent inquiry because they committed a strictly prohibited act under rules of international and Egyptian aviation,” the agency added.
Egypt’s national carrier EgyptAir vehemently denied any link to the incident, which it said contradicts air safety rules.
In the video, the 31-year-old performer is heard saying: “In an experience the first of its kind, we’ll operate a plane!”
It is not clear yet if any legal action will be taken against Ramadan, noted for his showy flair.