John Culatto
BRITISH Airways cancelled a UK-bound flight as passengers climbed the plane’s steps after a seven hour ordeal when they were forced to bus it to Malaga from Gibraltar.
The Heathrow-bound flight was due to leave Gibraltar at midday on Monday but heavy rain forced the pilot to divert to Malaga airport on its way down from London.
BA put on a bus for passengers to get to the busy airport in southern Spain but after they went through security and climbed the plane’s steps they got a nasty shock.
The UK flagship airline realised that the pilot had been active for too long, forcing BA to cancel the flight altogether, GBC reported.
It left several furious passengers in Malaga who then missed their onward travel plans in the UK.
Weather forecasters showed the heavy rain on an X post before the plane was due to arrive.
The ordeal followed another British Airways gaffe last August when ten Gibraltarian residents were ordered off a flight because they did not have Schengen visa.
They included a mother-in-law with her grandchild who later reported the story to The Olive Press.
BA staff believed that all passengers needed a Schengen visa in case the plane was diverted to Malaga.
Government officials had to explain to the British airline that Gibraltar has an agreement in place to allow residents to freely travel into Spain at their own convenience.
The UK company finally admitted its mistake and duly compensated passengers.
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