British Airways pilot suspended for leaving cockpit door wide open during flight

A British Airways pilot has reportedly been suspended after breaking anti-terror rules on board a flight for his family. The captain, flying from Heathrow to New York, is said to have left the cockpit door wide open during the transatlantic flight, according to The Sun. He is reported to have left the door open so his relatives on the flight who were travelling in the cabin could see him in action. But stunned passengers and crew were left alarmed when the reinforced door, a critical post-9/11 security measure, was left unsecured for what witnesses claim was ‘a significant time’. Sources told the newspaper that the incident was so concerning that the pilot was reported to US authorities as soon as the plane landed. His grounding meant the return flight, BA174 to London, was cancelled last Friday, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. One insider told the paper: ‘It made passengers incredibly uneasy. The door was wide open for a significant time – enough for people to worry and comment’. The Civil Aviation Authority has launched an urgent investigation into the breach. British Airways colleagues reportedly feared the lapse could have posed a serious risk, even though no actual threat was identified. The airline confirmed the pilot’s suspension was in line with company policy. He has since been reinstated and is back in the air after the inquiry found no security danger. A British Airways spokesperson insisted: ‘Safety and security is our top priority.’   The post British Airways pilot suspended for leaving cockpit door wide openduringflight appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.