EXCLUSIVE Two British Airways flights from the US to London are forced to make emergency landings within days of each other after passengers complained of SMOKE and ‘burning smell’
- John Paul Bayfield posted a clip of the flight from Washington to London
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Two British Airways transatlantic flights were forced to make an emergency landing after passengers complained of smoke and a burning smell coming from seats in the business class section, MailOnline can reveal.
During the first incident, on February 1, attendants on BA216 from Washington Dulles airport to London had to spray a fire extinguisher on two seats when concerned passengers reported an acrid burning smell just minutes into the eight-hour flight to the UK.
The captain then declared an emergency to air traffic controllers and the plane landed in Halifax, Canada.
All the passengers disembarked the plane normally while fire crews carried out an inspection of the seating area.
Footage shared from passenger on the flight showed fire crews moving through the cabin.
John Paul Bayfield posted a clip of attendants with Oxygen tanks on board the flight
During the first incident, on February 1, attendants on BA216 from Washington Dulles airport to London had to spray a fire extinguisher on two seats
John Paul Bayfield posted the clip of attendants with Oxygen tanks on board and wrote: ‘BA216 emergency landing at Halifax. Fire crews moving through cabin with FLIR. All safe. Crew excellent.’
A report by the Canadian Transport Safety Board revealed crew had used a halon fire extinguisher on a seat in the business class section.
The report said passengers had complained of an acrid burning smell although there was no visible smoke around the seats that fold down into beds.
The BA flight crew declared what is known as a pan pan emergency, which in aviation terms means the situation is not life-threatening bur urgent assistance is required.
Nine days later, on February 10, another Boeing Dreamliner was involved in a smoke incident, also in the business class section.
Passengers on the flight from Boston to Heathrow had told flight attendants they could smell smoke coming from seat 12A.
The flight was over the Atlantic Ocean and 600 miles from the nearest airport when a decision was made to divert to St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada.
It landed almost two hours later with the 106 passengers and crew taken to the terminal while fire fighters carried out an inspection.
An inspection of the seating area, in-flight entertainment and units and overhead panels failed to find any source of the burning smell
A report by the Canadian Transport Safety Board revealed crew had used a halon fire extinguisher on a seat in the business class section
The captain then declared an emergency to air traffic controllers and the plane landed in Halifax, Canada
Two attendants were taken to hospital for a check-up after inhaling fumes as they tried to find the cause of the smell.
The Canadian Transport Safety Board reported that two of the crew were taken to hospital as a precaution after inhaling fumes and later released after a check-up.
An inspection of the seating area, in-flight entertainment and units and overhead panels failed to find any source of the burning smell.
In recent years many of the smoke incidents on international flights have been blamed on lithium batteries catching fire.
A spokesman for British Airways said: ‘Both flights diverted as a precaution due to technical issues and they landed normally. We apologised to our customers for the disruption to their journey and got them on their way as soon as possible. Safety is always our highest priority.’
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