A mum claims a British Airways flight turned to ‘pandemonium’ when passengers and ‘panicking’ cabin crew fell ill – before the plane was swarmed by hazmat suit-clad firefighters. Melanie Wells flew out for the £7,500 all-inclusive, luxury TUI package holiday of eight days in Egypt alongside her 19-year-old daughter Imogen on December 23.
However, after boarding the flight at London Gatwick Airport, the 61-year-old developed a bad headache, which she initially put down to the ‘extreme temperature’ on the plane. But within two hours of taking off, Melanie claims passengers and crew members had fallen ‘seriously ill’, with members of staff collapsing down the aisle.
The flight then made an emergency landing into Venice, Italy, where the plane swamped by emergency workers in hazmat suits with testing devices. Terrified she felt ill due to breathing some kind of ‘toxic fumes’, the mum-of-one described the plane as ‘pandemonium’ before being diverted back to London after an eight-hour delay
Melanie insists the experience ‘ruined’ the start of their holiday, and is calling for more compensation than the £2,000 she claims the airline has already offered. British Airways confirmed the plane was diverted due to a ‘technical issue’ on board.
Melanie, who lives in Eastbourne, East Sussex, said: “I’d really pushed the boat out. I hadn’t been very well so treated me and my daughter to an ultra-high-end all-inclusive in Sharm El Sheikh. I hadn’t been away for ages, it was definitely much-needed.
“When we boarded, the temperature was so extreme that I started to feel unwell. It was supersonically hot. I ended up getting a really bad headache and put it down to the heat.
“About an hour and a half in the air, crew members suddenly began running down the aisle backwards and forwards. I didn’t know what was going on. There was one mum whose eyes rolled into the back of her head. The crew looking after them had actually collapsed because of the fumes.
“About six people fell seriously ill on board while we were in the air. I felt very unwell. I felt nauseous and had a headache. At the time I put it down to stress but now looking back I think it was fumes.”
After an emergency landing in Venice, Melanie said ambulances and fire engines surrounded the plane before staff in hazmat suits and breathing apparatus rushed on board. Melanie said: “We were told nothing the whole time. We landed and the whole plane was surrounded by police, ambulances, fire services.
“And then men in hazmat suits with full breathing apparatus came on board with what I was assume were [testing devices], running them over the stewards and stewardesses then doing it to the passengers affected. I was absolutely terrified – I was out of my mind with worry, I was really fearful. It was pandemonium. The staff were in pure panic mode. I was thinking, ‘have we all been inhaling toxic fumes?’ At no point did the captain give us any information. “
After an eight-hour wait in Italy, the plane was diverted back to London Gatwick before landing in Egypt the following morning. On arrival home, Melanie submitted a complaint to BA who she says have offered £2,130 in compensation for the cancelled flight, meal expenses and issues faced. But Melanie says the airline are refusing to refund her for the first night of accommodation they missed in Egypt due to the delays.
Melanie said: “We were travelling for 40 hours. We were utterly exhausted. The experience was horrific. It was definitely a flight from hell.
“BA have performed in the most cavalier manner. The distress and trauma we went through, it was utterly traumatic. It ruined the start of our holiday. I want the £500 for the missed accommodation too. It was a horrific experience.”
A British Airways spokesperson said: “The safety of our customers and colleagues is always our top priority and our aircraft diverted as a precaution because of a technical issue. We’ve apologised to our customers for their experience and have offered compensation accordingly.”
They said there was no evidence of any fumes on board and the plane was checked and back in service the next day but failed to clarify what the ‘technical issue’ was.
