The airline is reviewing overnight accommodations for pilots after three crew members reportedly contracted food poisoning in India
Credit: Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- A British Airways pilot became ill mid-flight after an overnight layover in Hyderabad, India
- The airline is reviewing crew accommodations in Hyderabad following reports of sickness among multiple crew members
- A British pilots’ union advises crew members to eat different meals to reduce the risk of shared food poisoning
A British Airways pilot became ill during an international flight to London as additional reports indicate multiple crew members suffered food poisoning following an overnight layover in India.
The incident took place earlier this week on British Airways flight BA276. The aircraft departed Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, India, and landed at London’s Heathrow Airport over 10 hours later, according to FlightAware data from the week of July 19. The trip took place after the crew stayed overnight in Hyderabad after an earlier long-haul layover.
British Airways confirmed to PEOPLE that one of its pilots became ill during the flight, but the aircraft continued safely to its destination, adding that the flight was never compromised. However, the airline did not immediately specify the date of the incident.
Credit: Peter Nicholls/Getty
“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 airline said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.
Before the trip, the crew’s three pilots shared breakfast in a hotel lounge, which included bottled water from an external company, according to a report from Dubai outlet Gulf News.
During the flight, the first pilot was considered “incapacitated,” requiring oxygen and additional medical attention upon landing, per Gulf News. The remaining two pilots continued the journey, with their symptoms reportedly worsening along the way.
PEOPLE has reached out to London’s Heathrow Airport for comment.
Credit: Stefan Rousseau/PA Images/Getty
The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA), the union that represents over 10,000 pilots in the U.K., suggests that its members take precautionary measures to ensure multiple crew members on the same flight do not get sick.
“Pilots are encouraged to eat different meals to reduce the risk that both get food poisoning,” the organization says on its website.
In a statement shared with PEOPLE, a BALPA spokesperson says the organization has worked with British Airways in recent years to “ensure hotels meet the needs of flight crews,” including “moving pilots to alternative accommodation in Hyderabad within the past days.”
They add: “BALPA members can complete a feedback form on individual hotels after every visit and, where patterns emerge or there is a strong sentiment, this is fed back to British Airways.”
Last month, passengers on an Air Canada flight reportedly stepped in to help after their pilot experienced a medical emergency while traveling from New Jersey to Nova Scotia, Canada.
The June 24 flight operated by regional partner PAL Airlines was traveling from Newark to Halifax when the plane suddenly swerved mid-flight, per ABC News. Travelers on board told the outlet the pilot appeared to be having a seizure for around 40 minutes. The flight subsequently diverted to Boston after the co-pilot took control of the plane.
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Passenger Rodney McDonald told ABC News he witnessed one of the flight attendants “dragging” the pilot out of the cockpit and into the aisle. He says he and four others helped to restrain him for 40 minutes.
The airline said in a statement, “During the flight, the captain experienced a medical issue and was removed from the flight deck as per safety protocols. The first officer took control of the aircraft and diverted the flight to Boston, where it landed safely,” according to WCVB.
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