BRITISH AIRWAYS A320. Photo: Shutterstock An unusual incident this week on British Airways flight BA276 from Hyderabad, India, to London Heathrow has raised questions about illness among the company's crew staying in the city.
British Airways has confirmed that one of the pilots felt unwell during the flight and that following several isolated reports of illness, it is now reviewing its crew's accommodation arrangements on site.
The three pilots operating the flight reportedly fell ill after an overnight stay in Hyderabad, where they were tested for suspected food poisoning. The crew reportedly ate breakfast in the lounge of the hotel where they were staying, and drank bottled water provided by an outside company. The cause of the illness has not been determined at this time.
According to reports, when the plane was at an altitude of about 30,000 feet, the first officer's condition deteriorated to the point where he was unable to continue his duties. He was given oxygen and had to stop working for the remainder of the flight.
The other two pilots also reportedly began to feel unwell and their condition worsened, but they remained fit to continue operating the plane and land it in London.
The three pilots have filed air safety reports and have been asked to provide samples to investigate the source of the illness. It was also reported that an investigation has been launched and that British Airways is looking into accommodation options for its crew on site.
It should be noted that pilots are required to eat different meals before a flight, a measure designed to reduce the possibility of multiple flight crew members getting sick from the same source.
In an official response, British Airways said: “The welfare of our colleagues is a top priority and we are reviewing crew accommodation in this location following some isolated reports of sickness."
The company confirmed that one of the pilots felt unwell during the flight and said that, in accordance with existing procedures, the plane continued safely to its destination and landed as normal. British stressed that The safety of our customers and crew is always our highest priority and at no point was the safety of the flight compromised“.