Sri Lankan Airlines has grounded the captain of a flight from Sydney to Colombo after an incident in which he locked his female copilot out of the cockpit during a toilet break. The situation arose from a disagreement between the captain and the copilot over standard operating procedures, which require another crew member to be present in the cockpit when one pilot steps out.

According to an airline source, the captain reportedly clashed with his colleague, arguing that she had left the cockpit without arranging for a replacement, as mandated by safety protocols. This led to the copilot being temporarily locked out of the cockpit.

Sri Lanka’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched an investigation into the incident. The airline confirmed that it is cooperating fully with the authorities.

“The airline is fully cooperating with the relevant authorities, and the captain has been grounded pending the outcome of the investigation,” Sri Lankan Airlines said in a statement.

The incident, which occurred during a routine international flight, has raised concerns about adherence to safety procedures and the professional dynamics between cockpit crew members. The investigation is ongoing, and the airline has not released further details at this time.