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Faulty BA plane 'put lives at risk', passengers say Faulty BA plane 'put lives at risk', passengers say
(35 minutes later)
Passengers have accused British Airways of putting lives at risk after a plane had to make two emergency landings with the same fault.Passengers have accused British Airways of putting lives at risk after a plane had to make two emergency landings with the same fault.
The Boeing 747 flight to London first had to turn back to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday due to a problem with the wing flaps. The Boeing 747 flight to London first had to turn back to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday owing to a problem with the wing flaps.
When the same plane took off on Thursday after repairs, the problem reoccurred and it turned back again.When the same plane took off on Thursday after repairs, the problem reoccurred and it turned back again.
BA said it would never operate a flight unless it believed it was safe.BA said it would never operate a flight unless it believed it was safe.
One of the passengers, Sean Casey, told the BBC that paramedics were brought on board to treat some of the passengers after the second emergency landing.One of the passengers, Sean Casey, told the BBC that paramedics were brought on board to treat some of the passengers after the second emergency landing.
He said BA ground staff in Riyadh were "unable to assist or advise" on "how they were going to get people to their final destination, many passengers have lost thousands of pounds as their onward flights, holiday accommodation and car rental has been paid and lost". He said BA ground staff at the King Khalid International Airport were "unable to assist or advise" on "how they were going to get people to their final destination, many passengers have lost thousands of pounds as their onward flights, holiday accommodation and car rental has been paid and lost".
"I feel BA put 300 lives at risk by putting us on the same plane 24 hours after trying to fix a fault," Mr Casey said."I feel BA put 300 lives at risk by putting us on the same plane 24 hours after trying to fix a fault," Mr Casey said.
Another passenger, Ahmed Hamad, said that after the second emergency landing "there were lots of upset passengers and some trouble on board, and a few passengers refused to leave the aircraft".Another passenger, Ahmed Hamad, said that after the second emergency landing "there were lots of upset passengers and some trouble on board, and a few passengers refused to leave the aircraft".
'Four-hour delay''Four-hour delay'
Problems began with a four-hour delay before the plane bound for Heathrow took off Wednesday, Mr Hamad said. Problems began with a four-hour delay before the plane bound for Heathrow took off on Wednesday from the Saudi capital, Mr Hamad said.
Then, 30 minutes into the flight the captain announced they would have to turn back due to a problem with the wing flaps. Then 30 minutes into the flight the captain announced they would have to turn back because of a problem with the wing flaps.
The pilot dumped fuel to make the plane lighter before turning back to Riyadh, Mr Hamad said, but "the speed of the landing was very fast".The pilot dumped fuel to make the plane lighter before turning back to Riyadh, Mr Hamad said, but "the speed of the landing was very fast".
On Thursday, after the plane had been fixed and passed as safe by engineers, the same problem occurred again just 20 minutes into the flight, Mr Hamad said, and the plane returned to Riyadh again. On Thursday, after the plane had been fixed and passed as safe by engineers, the same problem occurred again just 20 minutes into the flight, Mr Hamad said, and turned back again.
A BA spokesman said a replacement aircraft had now taken the passengers safely to London.A BA spokesman said a replacement aircraft had now taken the passengers safely to London.
The company said in a statement: "Our customer service teams are contacting customers directly to offer compensation, expenses and complimentary tickets as a gesture of goodwill. The company said in a statement: "Our customer service teams are contacting customers directly to offer compensation, expenses and complementary tickets as a gesture of goodwill.
"The safety of our customers and crew is always our first concern and due to a technical problem, the decision was taken to return the aircraft to Riyadh."The safety of our customers and crew is always our first concern and due to a technical problem, the decision was taken to return the aircraft to Riyadh.
"Our crew and customer service teams are doing everything they can to care for customers, and we provided overnight hotel accommodation.""Our crew and customer service teams are doing everything they can to care for customers, and we provided overnight hotel accommodation."