Both pilots fall asleep and plane flies on autopilot

Both pilots on an Airbus passenger plane were asleep at the same time with the UK-operated aircraft flying on autopilot.

One of the pilots indicated in a report to the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority that the pair nodded off after both had only five hours sleep in the previous two nights.

Details of last month’s incident, on Aug 13, come at a time when UK pilots’ organisation Balpa is unhappy at proposed European changes to flight-time regulations.