SLEEPING ON THE JOB: BRITISH PLANE FLIES ON AUTOPILOT AFTER BOTH PILOTS SLEPT OFF

Two pilots flying for the unknown airline fell asleep in the cockpit last month (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)

Two pilots flying an Airbus A330 on its way to Britain last month fell asleep in their seats and left the jet to run on autopilot, it has been revealed.

The tired pair were navigating a busy aeroplane when they fell into their slumber as a direct result of exhaustion and a gruelling rota, they claimed.

One of the pilots then awoke and revived the other, but neither knew how long they had been asleep for.

None of the 325 passengers were alerted to the incident and it was only uncovered because the pilots admitted all to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The CAA confirmed that the airline was British-based but would not identify it for fear it would prevent further disclosures from pilots.

Speaking to the Sun, air safety expert David Learmount said: ‘The plane is capable of cruising on autopilot, but if there’s an emergency there would be no one to take the controls.

‘The pilots need to be alert. But the greatest danger is they wake up and do something as a kneejerk reaction while still suffering sleep inertia.’

The pilots had reportedly made an agreement to have 20-minute naps each on the August 13 flight, but after a while both were fully asleep.

A spokesperson for the CAA said: ‘ We take fatigue-related incidents extremely seriously.’

Source:Metro.co.uk