A British Airways Boeing 777 flight bound for Washington Dulles was delayed for six hours at Heathrow Airport on Saturday, 16 May 2026. The delay was caused by the accidental deployment of an emergency evacuation slide by a newly qualified cabin crew member on only their second day of duty.
The incident took place during pushback from gate B47 at Heathrow’s Terminal 5, forcing passengers to disembark for safety checks.
The emergency slide attached to door 3L suddenly inflated onto the tarmac when the crew member, confused by the “doors to automatic” procedure, inadvertently opened the door instead of arming it. This action activated the evacuation slide system, resulting in a halt before takeoff.
Passengers were required to leave the aircraft while engineering teams inspected, deflated, and replaced the deployed slide. This safety measure was essential to ensure the aircraft was fully operational before departure.
Flight BA217 eventually departed around 7pm, six hours behind schedule. British Airways issued an apology to all affected passengers for the disruption and inconvenience caused by the incident.
Both the airline and Heathrow Airport will review staff training and emergency procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future, with particular focus on new crew members adjusting to safety protocols on board.
Originally published by UKNIP.
