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British Airways issues apology after passengers removed due to aircraft weight limit
British Airways said in its statement that some passengers had to be removed before takeoff due to “extreme temperatures affecting air pressure."
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British Airways has issued an apology after a flight operated by the company was forced to remove several passengers before takeoff because the plane became too heavy. As per a People report, the incident occurred on August 11, when the BA Embraer ERJ-190 was set to fly to London City airport from Florence's Amerigo Vespucci airport.
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British Airways issues apology
In a statement obtained by People, the airline explained what led to the incident and expressed regret for the inconvenience caused.
British Airways said that multiple passengers had to be removed prior to takeoff due to “extreme temperatures affecting air pressure."
“Due to the unique nature of the airfield with a short runway, extreme temperatures affect air pressure, so aircraft weight must be reduced,” the statement said. “We’re sorry for the inconvenience this caused our customers and our teams worked hard to get them to their destination as quickly as possible,” it added.
The organization told the outlet that the passengers who were removed from the plane were booked on the next available flight. They were also provided with hotel accommodation and transport.
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Why did the incident happen?
A report in The Sun claimed that the BA Embraer ERJ-190 needed extra fuel for the trip. The 35° Celsius conditions in Italy had made the air less dense, meaning the plane had to make more efforts to reach cruising altitude.
The matter was further complicated by the short runway at the Amerigo Vespucci airport. The runway was only 5,118ft long, half the length of Gatwick’s 10,879ft main track. This meant the aircraft needed more fuel to make the journey. It compensated for the fuel by reducing the number of passengers in the plane.
A British passenger on the August 11 flight told The Sun that the pilot said people had to get off the plane due to the extreme heat.
“The staff said 36 would have to be unloaded but only about 20 people had to get off in the end,” she added.
FAQs
Why did British Airways issue an apology?
The company had to take in extra fuel due to extreme weather conditions and a short runway. To compensate for this, it removed some passengers.
Where was the flight traveling from?
It was going from Florence’s Amerigo Vespucci airport to London City airport.
What happened to the passengers?
The passengers who were removed were booked on the next available flight. They were also given transport and hotel accommodation.
