British Airways pilot suspended over claims he left cockpit door open to show off

It’s always fun to bring your family to work. Unfortunately, a pilot found out the hard way that there are limits to adhere to on such occasions.

The family of a British Airways pilot was aboard Flight 173, a Boeing 777-300ER from London to New York. There were 256 passengers aboard when the flight departed. At some point, passengers reportedly noticed that there was something odd about the cockpit door – it was open.

Passengers were uncomfortable

A source told The Sun:

“Crew and passengers immediately noticed the cockpit door was open and wanted to know what was happening. It made passengers incredibly uneasy.”

According to reports, the door wasn’t merely unsecured for a fleeting moment. The source informed the outlet:

“The door was wide open for a significant time – enough for people to worry and comment.”

As a result of 9/11, the law says cockpit doors remain locked and secured during flight, with specific protocols to be followed should they need to be opened. Since this didn’t happen here, the pilot’s colleagues turned him in when they landed.

The pilot is back in the air

The Independent reports that the pilot was suspended and the return flight to Heathrow was cancelled. After an investigation, it was decided that there was no security threat. The pilot was reinstated and is already back to work.

In a statement, British Airways said, “Safety and security is our top priority.”