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Oops! Passengers erroneously told plane was about to crash
By Joy Jernigan, senior travel editor
It was about 3 a.m. on a British Airways transcontinental flight when passengers heard an announcement that the plane was about to crash into the sea, The Telegraph reports.
But the automated message was a mistake, as crew members quickly reassured passengers.
"It was about 3 a.m. An alarm sounded and we were told we were about to land in the sea. I thought we were going to die," one passenger onboard told The Telegraph. “My wife was crying and passengers were screaming. Then they played an announcement telling us to just ignore the warnings."
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The Friday night incident occurred as Flight 206 was over the Atlantic Ocean enroute from Miami to London's Heathrow Airport.
A British Airways spokesperson told the newspaper: "The cabin crew canceled the announcement immediately and sought to reassure customers that the flight was operating normally. We apologize to customers for causing them undue concern."
In August 2010, passengers on another British Airways flight from London's Heathrow Airport to Hong Kong also were mistakenly warned they were about to crash. The error was blamed on a crew member who hit an incorrect button.
"Who knew they had that kind of prerecorded announcement ready to go onboard the aircraft?" NBC's Brian Williams reported at the time.
More on Overhead Bin
By Joy Jernigan, senior travel editor
It was about 3 a.m. on a British Airways transcontinental flight when passengers heard an announcement that the plane was about to crash into the sea, The Telegraph reports.
But the automated message was a mistake, as crew members quickly reassured passengers.
"It was about 3 a.m. An alarm sounded and we were told we were about to land in the sea. I thought we were going to die," one passenger onboard told The Telegraph. “My wife was crying and passengers were screaming. Then they played an announcement telling us to just ignore the warnings."
advertisement
The Friday night incident occurred as Flight 206 was over the Atlantic Ocean enroute from Miami to London's Heathrow Airport.
A British Airways spokesperson told the newspaper: "The cabin crew canceled the announcement immediately and sought to reassure customers that the flight was operating normally. We apologize to customers for causing them undue concern."
In August 2010, passengers on another British Airways flight from London's Heathrow Airport to Hong Kong also were mistakenly warned they were about to crash. The error was blamed on a crew member who hit an incorrect button.
"Who knew they had that kind of prerecorded announcement ready to go onboard the aircraft?" NBC's Brian Williams reported at the time.
More on Overhead Bin
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