22 June 2023 , 19:54
439
0
A British Airways stewardess who made a £50,000 blunder was forced to fly home in shame - this time as a passenger.
The emergency slide was deployed on the BA flight from London Heathrow accidentally - when it landed in Madrid in Spain.
The air stewardess was reportedly stood down after the glaring gaffe and made to fly home as a passenger.
BA said in a statement: "We've apologised to customers for the delay and made sure they were able to continue their journey as soon as possible."
Passenger John MacIntyre told the Sun newspaper: “So my flight from Madrid to Heathrow looks like it isn’t leaving at all or may leave with limited passengers.
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic to fly to China for first time since 2020
"This is due to the emergency slide being ‘accidentally’ deployed on arrival. I was hoping to go home.”
It marks the second similar incident in a matter of weeks.
Earlier this month, the same mistake unfolded - when a plane had just pushed back from the stand at Heathrow and was moments from take-off to Austin, Texas (Getty Images)Earlier this month, the same mistake unfolded - when a plane had just pushed back from the stand at Heathrow and was moments from take-off to Austin, Texas, when the slide was deployed. Emergency services rushed to Terminal 5 and surrounded flight BA191.
The plane had to be replaced and a new emergency slide was found for the original aircraft. BA bosses have reportedly ordered the cabin crew member back to training which is the same course of action for anyone who ‘blows’ a slide at the airline.
BA said: “The aircraft returned to the stand and customers disembarked normally. We arranged a replacement aircraft for them to continue their journey the same day and have apologised for the inconvenience caused.”
An insider said: “Deploying an emergency slide is a complete ‘no no’.
"It is incredibly dangerous, and standards around this are the most basic which recruits receive. After three recent incidents there is clearly something seriously wrong.
"It costs around £50,000 a time in repairing the deployed slide and through missed take-off and landing slots.
“More training will hammer home what needs to be known about the emergency slide. It has been an awkward time for BA.”