LONDON- A British Airways (BA) passenger is slated to receive $2,550 as compensation following a seven-hour wait on the tarmac. Kiemon Stewart, a former Royal Air Force pilot, was scheduled to travel from London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Belfast (BFS) on October 2.
However, inclement weather conditions prompted a significant delay as the aircraft missed its scheduled take-off time.
British Airways Passenger Tarmac
The airport had received warnings about potential thunderstorms and heavy rain, leading to air traffic control holding the plane. Once the weather cleared, the plane had to undergo refueling.
Unfortunately, further delays occurred when both the pilots and the crew had to disembark due to reaching their maximum work hours.
At that juncture, passengers remained seated, anticipating the arrival of an entirely new airline staff. Despite eventually departing from London and reaching Belfast, individuals with tickets were allegedly provided only one bag of pretzels and a single drink each during the stationary period on the aircraft.
The flight reached its destination seven hours later than initially estimated. Dissatisfied with the experience, Stewart characterized the series of delays as a “comedy of errors.” In pursuit of compensation, he filed a claim in Northern Ireland’s small-claims court.
Regret for Delay
While initially informed that the aircraft needed to remain grounded due to adverse weather conditions, according to BelfastLive, Stewart contended that this was merely a contributing factor.
He pointed to “operational and commercial decisions and actions” as the true issues with British Airways.
British Airways did not contest Stewart’s claim, so the court directed the airline to compensate the passenger with $2,550.
In a statement provided to The Independent, a representative for British Airways expressed regret for the delay, attributing it to air traffic control restrictions imposed due to adverse weather conditions across London and the South East of England on the day of the flight.
Recent Criticism
British Airways recently faced criticism for reportedly instructing its female crew members on the specific color of bra they should wear beneath their uniforms. The Sun was the first to report on this alleged update to the dress code coinciding with the release of the airline’s new uniforms.
Following resistance from the flight attendants’ union against this stringent requirement, British Airways decided to reverse the directive. The previous dress code stipulated, “Undergarments should be plain white or nude, with no lace, patterns or writing.”
“We’ve removed a recommendation from our uniform guidelines and will continue to listen to our colleagues about what works best for them,” stated a spokesperson for the airline to The Independent.
A statement from the British Airways Stewards and Stewardess’ Union was reported in an article by Paddle Your Own Kanoo.
Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.
Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News.