Flight diverted as cockpit door jams - Pilot not in cockpit

The pilot of an Air India flight needed to use the lavatory, as you know there are none actually in the cockpit, so he left the flight deck. Upon his return the cockpit door had become jammed.

So what would the announcement be? "Hello, this is you co-pilot trainee...we will be making an extra stop - please disregard the pilot, thank you." I am sure that the passengers noticed the pilot frantically trying to regain entry to the cockpit.

Perth Now reports "The commander of the flight had left the cockpit for a short while to visit the toilet and on returning to the cockpit found the door locked," Air India said in statement. It said that "all efforts to open the door, even from inside by the co-pilot, failed".

The airline said that during the time the door was locked, the cockpit was manned by the co-pilot and trainee pilot. The flight was diverted without any further incident.

Early this month, the airline said it had suspended a pilot and two female flight attendants after a passenger jet's autopilot system was accidentally switched off "due to (a) distraction".

Indian media reports at the time alleged the pilots were giving the flight attendants flying lessons.