British Airways has tightened its onboard photography restrictions for passengers in a bid to protect its cabin crew.
The flag carrier has updated its conditions of carriage to prevent the filming, photographing or live streaming of British Airways staff without consent.
Passengers risk being removed from a flight or facing an airline ban if they fail to comply with the rules.
Section 11a on unacceptable behaviour now reads: “If, while you are on board the aircraft, we reasonably believe that you have filmed, live streamed or photographed our crew or other colleagues without their consent.
“We may take any measures we think reasonable to prevent you continuing your behaviour.”
When the aircraft lands, the airline may decide to make passengers leave the aircraft, refuse carriage for the rest of the journey or report the incident to the relevant authorities for criminal prosecution.
The rules are expected to include photography on devices such as Meta glasses and GoPros.
Most carriers generally say that taking pictures is fine so long as passengers respect the privacy of fellow travellers. However, rules can change on a flight-by-flight basis.
According to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), if filming or photography “does not endanger the safety of the cabin in any way”, it is up to the cabin crew and captain to decide the rules.
British Airways recently became the first British airline to roll out Elon Musk’s Starlink internet system, with a maiden journey taking place on a Boeing 787-8 from London Heathrow to Houston, USA.
The airline stated that this advanced system will enable passengers to access "fast, reliable internet for streaming, working and staying connected" during their flights.
The Independent has contacted British Airways for comment.
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