Pilot grounded after blunder

THE bungling pilot who landed his passenger jet at the wrong airport on Wednesday has been grounded, Eirjet confirmed yesterday.

He has been told he will not be allowed back into the cockpit until a full inquiry is carried out.

Unions have urged Eirjet bosses not to sack the pilot, but his future is unclear after he touched down on Wednesday at a military base six miles short of his intended destination at City of Derry Airport.

A spokesman for the airline said: “He’s no longer flying until the investigation is completed. It’s normal procedure when there’s an incident like this, the pilot will be asked to step down.”

Budget airline Ryanair, which operates the Liverpool to Derry route, drafted in its own Boeing 737 plane and crew yesterday following the error. But it faced further complications when the flight, due to arrive at 2.25pm, was delayed by more than three hours.

Aviation officials questioned the pilot who blundered while in charge of 39 passengers on board the Airbus A320.

A Dublin man who has 30 years service with top European airlines, he joined Eirjet nearly 18 months ago.

Although the Civil Aviation and Irish Aviation Authorities will decide his fate, the company is understood to be standing by him.

Eirjet was operating the flight on behalf of Ryanair because a Boeing strike in Seattle has caused a shortage of available jets. Its two-month contract ends tomorrow.

The airline apologised for the incident, which is now being examined by the British air accident investigation branch. Some passengers were shaken, but Eirjet insisted their safety had not been compromised.