Crash message panic for passengers
27th August 2010
Passengers on a British Airways flight must have felt sure their families would need to claim on their travel insurance when a message preparing them for a possible crash into the sea was played in error.
The message on the Heathrow to Hong Kong flight said: "This is an emergency. We may shortly need to make an emergency landing on water."
Passengers were quickly reassured by cabin crew on the Boeing 747 that the message was played in error.
"People were terrified. We all thought we were going to die," said Michelle Lord, 32, of Preston, Lancashire.
Another passenger said: "I can't think of anything worse than being told your plane's about to crash."
The airline said the message was an automatic one trigged by a computer. A BA spokesman said: "We would like to apologise to passengers on board the flight for causing them undue distress.
"Our cabin crew immediately made an announcement following the message advising customers that it was played in error and that the flight would continue as normal."
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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