Passengers’ fury as UK-bound BA flight takes off jam-packed with ZERO attempt to keep social distancing promises
PASSENGERS were furious on a British Airways jumbo after discovering there was no attempt to maintain social distancing during a 12-hour flight.
Pictures sent to The Sun showed flyers squeezed next to each other on the service from Cape Town to London Heathrow.
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Many passengers didn’t bother wearing masks or gloves to protect others during the coronavirus pandemic flight.
Before take-off, travellers clambered to fill overhead lockers, brushing against one another on the Boeing 747.
A source said: “You’d never have imagined coronavirus was a thing judging by the scenes on the BA jet.
“The crew wore protective clothing and did their best, but there were no efforts in place to look after passengers.
“BA did not board people in turn in a bid to separate them. It was a free-for-all, with passengers jammed in together.
“A lot of flyers were shocked and angry that there was no effort to keep them safe.
“Keeping people safe does not appear to count at 30,000ft, despite planes being one of the most likely places to pick up germs. It was shocking and a farce.”
Another source said: “BA crew are not happy. Staff volunteered to continue working during the crisis on the understanding that measures would be in place to keep them safe.
“Self-evidently, that has not been the case.
“Staff had to deal with passengers angry they had been squeezed in together for 12 hours with no attempt to socially distance.”
One more source added: “During the flight most passengers who boarded with a mask actually took them off.
“Passengers were told not to walk around the plane, but they did, and crew did not try to stop them.
“There had been an announcement before take-off asking passengers not to visit the galleys, or other sections of the plane, but that was ignored too.
“People went to get drinks and ignored the request during the 12-hour flight.
“Crew did their best but were powerless to do anything. Staff told passengers they were all worried about losing their jobs.”
The long-haul BA Flight 058 touched down at 21.42 on Monday.
The Sun told last weekend how social distancing was non-existent on a short-haul flight from Amsterdam to London.
Crew were also not wearing gloves or face-masks on the BA Flight 431.
BA’s 180-seater Airbus A320 jet was 70 per cent full.
Meanwhile there was anger yesterday at BA advertising for cabin crew jobs at London City airport while it bids to axe 12,000 crew and switch the remaining workforce onto reduced contracts.
The Unite union has launched a ‘BA’s betrayal’ poster campaign, accusing the airline of using the coronavirus pandemic to streamline its operations, despite sitting on billions of revenue.
BA insists it has been taking extra coronavirus precautions during flights, including scrapping the ‘hot towel’ service and handing out pre-prepared refreshments.
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Earlier, a BA spokesman told The Sun: “We follow all the guidance from the UK Government and global health authorities, including Public Health England and the World Health Organisation.
“We have taken several steps to greatly reduce contact between customers and crew, and personal protective equipment is available to them.
“Like other forms of transport we are keeping vital links open – repatriating customers and ensuring key supplies like medicines and food are flown in. Our teams are doing an amazing job.”