Report: Northwest Pilots Distracted by Laptop Use in Cockpit

What caused Northwest Airlines flight 188 to miss its airport destination and fly 150 miles past Minneapolis? Laptops.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Northwest pilots told federal investigators that "a bathroom break, chatting with a flight attendant in the cockpit and then taking out their laptops to discuss work schedules apparently created distractions that led to more than an hour of radio silence with air-traffic controllers."

The National Transportation Safety Board questioned the pilots, who confessed they were working on their laptops in the cockpit and missed the tower control signals and attempt at communication. Once the pilots realized they had flown past their intended airport, they safely turned the plane around and landed in Minneapolis.

The lack of attention has caused a media frenzy and concern among travelers and fliers. 

Cheapflights wants to know what you think: Do you think these pilots should be penalized? Should there be rules against using laptops in the cocktpit?

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