All three pilots on British Airways flight fall ill midair after Hyderabad stopover: ‘One incapacitated at 30,000 ft’

One of the pilots, “incapacitated at 30,000 ft", was rushed to the hospital upon landing and underwent a 12-hour operation.

A British Airways (BA) flight from Hyderabad to London had a tense moment after all three operating pilots fell ill mid-flight. Reportedly, they suffered from suspected food poisoning following an overnight stopover in Hyderabad.

The pilots had food and water at the hotel lounge in Hyderabad. (Representational image). (Unsplash)

What had happened?

According to the Sun, 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 other pilots, though unwell, managed to land the plane safely. However, their symptoms continued to worsen.

In an official statement, BA insisted flight safety was not compromised. However, a source familiar with the situation told the outlet that a probe was launched into the matter. “An urgent investigation has been launched as this must not happen again.”

Repeated complaints

According to the outlet, sources say that officials at the British Airline Pilots’ Association are furious over the incident. They claimed that prior to this incident, there had been several complaints about the hygiene of the same Hyderabad hotel where the pilots were housed.

The pilot who fell sick had breakfast and drinks at the hotel lounge. Reportedly, they had packaged water provided by an external company.

“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.

The airline is now assessing its hotel options in Hyderabad.