A Virgin Atlantic flight that was heading to New York in 2022 had to abruptly turn around 40 minutes into the trip after a copilot revealed he was not qualified to actually fly the plane.
As TMZ reports, the copilot told his colleagues that he had yet to take his final qualifying test ahead of the journey.
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The flight departed from London, and as such the UK's Civil Aviation Authority issued a statement about the event. The organization stated, "Virgin Atlantic has made us aware of the incident. Both pilots were suitably licensed and qualified to undertake the flight."
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Despite the assertion that both pilots were qualified, the plane was grounded for three hours while another pilot was located who could make the flight. The issue points to a larger issue with staff availability that airlines around the world are experiencing.
The Guardian has reported that the pilot in question joined the airline in 2017. The publication notes that the pilot was qualified in the UK but had not taken a final test required by Virgin Atlantic.
Virgin Atlantic was also quick to point out that everything ended up OK. "The qualified first officer, who was flying alongside an experienced captain, was replaced with a new pilot to ensure full compliance with Virgin Atlantic’s training protocols, which exceed industry standards."
Airlines around the world, including in the United States, are experiencing major shortages in staff. As noted by The Guardian, JetBlue has been forced to cancel numerous flights as enough people aren't available to work them.
