Norwegian Air Will Adopt New Cockpit Rules

In light of this week's horrific Germanwings crash, Norwegian Air is taking steps to adopt new cockpit rules.

The airline will instruct all flights to have at least two crew members in the cockpit "as soon as possible," the company said in a press release. Airline spokeswoman Charlotte Holmbergh-Jacobsson told the Associated Press that the new rule, which the airline has been thinking about for a while, will go into affect on all global flights as soon as it gets approval from the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority.

Other airlines, including Finnair, already mandate that at least two crew members be in the cockpit at all times, the AP reports. American carriers require that any pilot who leaves the cockpit be replaced by a flight attendant so that two people remain inside at all times.

On Thursday, Easy Jet and Air Canada announced that they will change their procedures to require two crew members in the flight deck at all times.