Are my pilots sleeping in front?

Hello Captain Lim!

I enjoy reading your site very much. Your detailed answers have made me a more informed and less nervous flyer.

I'm hoping you can put my mind at ease about an irrational fear that I have experienced while flying. With the introduction of armoured cockpit doors, there is additional separation between the pilots and the cabin crew. There are times during a long flight where several hours may pass without me seeing or hearing from the pilots.

I remember reading a news story in the past year or so in which both pilots of a commercial jet fell asleep and flew a great distance without contacting ATC, even missing their destination airport before waking.

What if they could not be reached by the air traffic controllers?

Would the flight crew be able to intervene? Having said this, I understand pilot fatigue is a serious concern and I can see why it happens.

Thanks so much, and I realize this is an extremely unlikely hypothetical, but I've been curious.

Rob