• A Lufthansa Airbus A321 flew for 10 minutes without active pilot control after the co-pilot fainted.
• The incident occurred during a flight from Frankfurt to Seville on February 17, 2024.
• The captain left the cockpit to use the restroom, while the co-pilot lost consciousness due to a seizure.
• The aircraft's autopilot maintained stable flight throughout the incident.
• The report urges a re-evaluation of cockpit safety protocols regarding pilot breaks.

A Lufthansa Airbus A321 was left without any pilot control for approximately 10 minutes after the first officer fainted while alone in the cockpit. This startling incident took place on February 17, 2024, during a flight from Frankfurt to Seville, which was carrying 199 passengers and six crew members, according to Business Insider, India Times, and India Times.

At the time of the incident, the captain, aged 43, had stepped out of the cockpit to use the restroom, believing the first officer, aged 38, was fit to fly. Upon returning after eight minutes, the captain found himself unable to enter due to the locked cockpit door and received no response via intercom. Investigators reported that the first officer’s fainting was caused by a seizure disorder linked to a neurological condition he was unaware of, which could not have been detected during routine medical checks, according to SCMP and India Times.

After multiple attempts to unlock the cockpit with standard access codes failed, the captain resorted to an emergency code, which allowed him to enter the cockpit. Thankfully, the autopilot kept the plane stable during these critical moments, documented by the cockpit voice recorder which reported unusual noises associated with a medical emergency. The co-pilot managed to partially regain consciousness and opened the cockpit door just before the emergency timer expired, allowing the captain to regain control as stated by India Times and SCMP.

The flight was diverted to Madrid where the co-pilot received medical attention. Following the incident, Lufthansa acknowledged the findings and indicated ongoing internal investigations into cockpit safety practices. The report has led to calls for reassessing the necessity of maintaining two pilots in the cockpit during such breaks to enhance safety protocols, as highlighted by India Times and SCMP.