All three pilots on British Airways’ Hyderabad-London flight fall ill with food poisoning mid-air

A British Airways flight from Hyderabad to London ran into an unusual situation when all three pilots reportedly suffered suspected food poisoning during the journey. The incident took place on the 10-and-a-half-hour flight. The airline said flight safety was never compromised.One of the first officers became too unwell to continue normal duties while the Boeing 777 was flying at around 30,000 feet, according to The Sun. The pilot was given oxygen on board. The other two pilots, despite feeling sick, continued operating the aircraft and landed the flight safely at London Heathrow. Their condition reportedly worsened after landing.

“One of the pilots was ‘incapacitated at 30,000 ft’ and had to be put on oxygen. Upon landing, he underwent a 12-hour operation,” the report states.
“An urgent investigation has been launched as this must not happen again,” British Airways said.According to the report, the three pilots had shared breakfast and drinks at the crew hotel in Hyderabad before the flight. They also drank bottled water supplied by an external company. It is not yet clear what caused the suspected food poisoning.

All three pilots filed Air Safety Reports and were asked to provide medical samples to help doctors identify the source of the illness.

The incident has also raised concerns within the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA). According to The Sun, union officials said there had been ‘dozens’ of previous complaints about hygiene standards at the hotel where the crew stayed in Hyderabad.

British Airways said it is reviewing its crew accommodation in the city following the incident. “The welfare of our colleagues is a top priority and we are reviewing crew accommodation in this location following some isolated reports of sickness,” the airline said in a statement.

Earlier in 2018, a SWISS International Air Lines flight from Zurich to Nice faced a mid-air emergency after the captain suddenly lost consciousness, reportedly due to a severe food-related reaction.

The pilot was barely able to alert the co-pilot before passing out. While unconscious, he unintentionally moved the aircraft’s controls, causing the plane to descend rapidly. The first officer quickly took control, stabilized the Airbus A320 and landed the flight safely in Nice.