British Airways was forced to cancel a London-bound flight from Barbados after several crew members allegedly drank so much during their layover at an all-inclusive resort that they were deemed unfit to work. If the reports are accurate, this is totally unacceptable, and BA may need to consider whether a Japan Airlines-style layover alcohol ban is now necessary.
British Airways Flight Canceled After Crew Allegedly Got Drunk On Barbados Layover
A British Airways flight from Bridgetown, Barbados (BGI) to London Gatwick (LGW) was canceled after several crew members allegedly overindulged during their layover at a luxury all-inclusive resort.
As One Mile at a Time notes, BA254 was canceled after crew members were reportedly unable to work the return sector. British Airways ultimately had to fly the aircraft back to London empty. Four crew members were suspended after the incident. Apparently, the crew was drinking vodka and beer at a £500-per-night all-inclusive resort, with one crew member allegedly vomiting at the bar and another collapsing.
British Airways told the outlet:
“We expect the highest standards from our colleagues, and we’re investigating this matter.”
That is the least BA can say.
The cancellation disported travel plans for hundreds of passengers and leaves BA on the hook for a lot of compensation per UK261…talk about an expensive night out!
What Should Happen To The Flight Crew?
I do not think every serious mistake should automatically end a career.
If these crew members have otherwise unblemished service records and this was their first major error, I am not convinced termination is the only appropriate response. Suspension, warning, loss of non-rev privileges, or other serious discipline may be sufficient, depending on what the investigation finds.
People do stupid things and often make bad decisions, but people can also learn from them and not make the same mistake again.
But there is a big difference between being merciful and being unserious. Reporting unfit for duty because you drank too much on a layover is a fundamental error. It undermines operational reliability, inconveniences hundreds of passengers, embarrasses the airline, and raises obvious safety concerns.
Flight attendants love to remind us about how they are “safety professionals.” If they cannot work because of alcohol, the airline has a problem that goes well beyond optics. Perhaps the fact, though, that British Airways booked them into a resort with free-flowing booze should also be a mitigating factor, even though self-control should truly be a given in situations like this.
BA May Need A JAL-Style Alcohol Rule
Japan Airlines recently took a much stricter approach after yet another alcohol-related crew incident. As I wrote about last month, JAL banned its more than 6,000 flight attendants from drinking alcohol during work layovers after a cabin crew member failed pre-flight alcohol testing and the flight was delayed.
That is a severe rule. But it’s also clean and effective.
No drinking during layovers. Full stop. No exceptions. No debating how many hours before duty. No parsing whether two glasses of wine at dinner is too much. It takes out the guesswork about calculating local time, report time, body clock, or whether someone “felt fine.”
Just don’t drink until the trip is over.
That may sound draconian, especially for crews who spend days away from home and reasonably want to enjoy dinner on a layover. I understand that adults should generally be trusted to behave like adults.
But trust is not an entitlement. It is earned, and incidents like this make broad rules more appropriate.
British Airways has had prior layover alcohol issues, including past incidents in Singapore and the Maldives. If this Barbados report is accurate, BA has to ask whether the current policy is working. If the answer is no, then a JAL-style approach may be necessary, even if most crew members would never dream of behaving this way.
CONCLUSION
British Airways canceled a Barbados to London flight after several crew members allegedly drank too much during a layover and were unable to operate the return flight.
I am not reflexively in favor of firing people for one major mistake if their service record is otherwise clean. But this is serious. Hundreds of passengers were disrupted, an aircraft had to be flown back empty, and BA now has another embarrassing crew alcohol incident to investigate.
At some point, airlines have to decide whether the old “use good judgment” standard is enough. Japan Airlines decided it was not and banned flight attendants from drinking alcohol during work layovers. If this British Airways report is accurate, BA may need to consider the same approach.
No drinking on layovers. No exceptions.
That would be unfortunate for the many crew members who behave responsibly, but when a few people cannot separate a work trip from a holiday, the rules may need change for everyone.
image: British Airways
This is why we need a UK261 equivalent in the US. Had this happened with a US airline, these affected passengers would merely have received the option of a (often partial) refund or a rebooking, no compensation. Instead, here, because it’s a UK airline (BA), the much higher duty of care ensures these affected passengers 1) the option of a rebooking or refund, 2) overnight accommodations, meals, calls, etc. while they await that rebooking, and 3) regardless of whether they opt for rebooking or refund, they additionally receive compensation (often hundreds of dollars) for the inconvenience. Let’s be clear: This was a massive failure by that crew and BA. Pay up.
You keep wanting that handout. Reminds me of an old song.
1990 lookin’ for a handout
To get somethin’ free
Lookin’ for a handout
From you and me
And with the consent
Of the Democrats
He’s gonna get his way
Corruption, greed, pedophilia, new wars, inflation… all just fine. No, to be celebrated!
Advocating for consumers and workers… eww, filthy Communism, obviously.
Ok Comrade!
I’ll still argue anyone of sound mind and body can become very successful in America but most aren’t willing to do what it takes. You, I and most everyone here aren’t anything special, we just made the right life choices.
As for those disabled through no fault of their own, I’m all for helping them out.
The crew should be held responsible for the financial loss. Passing out, vomiting at the bar? No, sometimes tough love is the path to change. JAL has the right idea
Every time I’ve been on a flight on a US carrier out of the US that got cancelled (other than weather – which also does not get you EU/UK 261 treatment in the EU/UK) and was put on a flight the next day, I’ve gotten accommodations and meal vouchers from the airline. Only a little compensation in the form of miles on top of that. YMMV, but not a completely bad deal. And as I’ve mentioned before, I’m okay with it if the US doesn’t adopt EU/UK 261 treatment for IDB, where I’ve been paid a lot more than you’d get in the EU/UK.
However, my real complaint is why whenever my flights have been cancelled, it has never left me stranded in a place like Barbados.