A British Airways flight destined for the UK was canceled following a night of heavy drinking by its crew members in Barbados. The incident led to one flight attendant collapsing in a hotel bar and concerns over the professionalism of the staff.
The affected flight, BA254, was scheduled to depart from Bridgetown, Barbados, to London on Sunday. The cancellation left approximately 336 passengers stranded. The flight was due to depart at 4:40 p.m. local time and arrive in London at 6:20 a.m. the following day.
Reports indicate that the crew members had been staying at a resort in Barbados the night before their scheduled flight. Guests at the resort, which charges £500 per night and caters to honeymooners and families, observed and filmed the crew's behavior. According to sources, some crew members consumed significant amounts of vodka and beer, with one stewardess reportedly vomiting at the bar and a colleague collapsing and requiring assistance to return to his room.
Following the incident, British Airways has launched an urgent investigation into the matter. The airline stated that it expects the highest standards from its crew. As a result of the disruption, the entire crew scheduled for the flight has been stood down, and passengers were being repositioned.
Four crew members have reportedly been suspended in connection with the incident. The airline has not provided specific details on the investigation's progress but has confirmed its commitment to addressing the situation.
This event follows a separate incident earlier in the year where a British Airways flight attendant was arrested and subsequently dismissed after being found to be nearly eight times over the legal alcohol limit on duty. In that case, the flight attendant, who had worked for the airline for 37 years, was found to have a breath alcohol level of 70mcg per 100ml, far exceeding the nine mcg limit for cabin crew. She admitted to drinking due to stress and was fined by a court in May.