Two British Airways flights forced to make emergency landings after passengers report ‘smoke’ and ‘burning smell’

TWO British Airways flight were forced to make emergency landings after passenger reported “smoke” and a “burning smell”. The first incident, on February 1, flight attendants on BA216 from Washington Dulles airport to London had to spray a fire extinguisher on two seats after passengers reported a burning smell just minutes after take-off. AlamyTwo British Airways flight have been forced to make emergency landings (file photo)[/caption] The captain then declared an emergency to air traffic controllers and the plane landed in Halifax, Canada. All the passengers disembarked normally while fire crews carried out an inspection. Passenger John Paul Bayfield posted a clip of attendants with oxygen tanks on board and wrote: “BA216 emergency landing at Halifax. Fire crews moving through cabin with FLIR. All safe. Crew excellent.” A report by the Canadian Transport Safety Board revealed crew had used a halon fire extinguisher on a seat in the business class section. Passengers had reported an acrid burning smell although there was no visible smoke around the seats that fold into beds, the report said. The BA flight crew declared a pan-pan emergency, which is an aviation term meaning the situation is not life-threatening but urgent assistance is needed. Then on February 10, another Boeing Dreamliner was involved in a smoke incident, also in the business class section. Passengers on the flight from Boston to Heathrow told flight attendants they could smell smoke coming from seat 12A. The flight was over the Atlantic Ocean and 600 miles from the nearest airport and the decision was taken to divert to St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. It landed nearly two hour later with the 106 passengers and crew taken to the airport terminal while an inspection was carried out by fire fighters. Two attendants were taken to hospital for a check-up having inhaled fumes when they tried to locate the source of the smell. More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online.Thesun.co.uk is your go to destination for the best celebrity news, football news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.