A British Airways pilot was suspended after allegedly leaving the cockpit door open during a transatlantic flight to JFK.
A British Airways pilot was suspended after allegedly leaving the cockpit door open during a transatlantic flight from London Heathrow to New York JFK, so that his family—travelling as passengers—could watch him at the controls.
According to The Sun, the incident took place last week and “alarmed” some passengers on board. Other crew members reported the breach, prompting the airline to take immediate action.
The pilot was suspended and the scheduled return flight to Heathrow on August 8 was cancelled as a result. Passengers booked on the service were re-routed on alternative flights, with most arriving within four hours of their original schedule.
After an internal investigation, the pilot was reinstated when British Airways determined the incident did not pose a security threat.
“Safety and security is our top priority and allegations of this nature are always fully investigated,” a British Airways spokesperson said.
Since the September 11 attacks in 2001, international aviation rules have required cockpit doors to remain locked in flight to prevent unauthorised access.
