Civil Aviation
Why Hazard Teams Enter British Airways Planes at Heathrow Airport
In response to reports of passengers feeling unwell as a result of “fumes” identified aboard a British Airways plane, a sizable emergency services operation was launched yesterday at Heathrow Airport.
Affected travelers posted photographs of personnel wearing white hazmat suits outside the aircraft, which had arrived from Barcelona, Spain, on social media as ambulances and firefighters raced to the scene.
Another traveler wrote on X: “Scene at Heathrow T5 as the BA flight from Barcelona has had its crew take ill upon landing, and the passengers are being kept on the runway. No information was found in the cockpit other than smoke and smells, and several cabin staff members were instructed to strip off after becoming ill.
The London Fire Brigade reported that no abnormal chemical readings were found inside the aircraft, while the London Ambulance Service reported sending a hazardous area response team and three medical personnel.
The Metropolitan Police stated: “Police were summoned to allegations of passengers taken ill on a flight into Heathrow Airport. Emergency services were called. Four patients received care on the spot.
British Airways issued a statement in which it stated that the safety of its passengers and staff was “always our top priority” and that the plane “landed normally” after reports of a technical issue.
