This is the dramatic moment firefighters in full hazmat gear boarded a British Airways flight from London after it was forced to make an emergency landing in Italy.
Melanie Wells, 61, was travelling with her 19-year-old daughter Imogen from Gatwick to Egypt for an eight-day luxury break when she says the drama unfolded.
Shortly after take-off, Melanie began to feel unwell and initially blamed the cabin temperature. But she claims the situation quickly worsened as other passengers and members of the cabin crew also fell sick.
The aircraft diverted to Venice, where, according to Melanie, emergency services rushed to the tarmac. She said the plane was soon surrounded by ambulances and fire engines as hazmat teams boarded wearing full breathing apparatus and scanning equipment.
“About an hour and a half in the air, crew members suddenly began running down the aisle backwards and forwards. I didn’t know what was going on,” she said.
“We were told nothing the whole time. We landed and the whole plane was surrounded by police, ambulances, fire services.
“And then men in hazmat suits with full breathing apparatus came on board with what I assume were [testing devices], running them over the stewards and stewardesses, then doing it to the passengers affected.
“I was absolutely terrified – I was out of my mind with worry, I was really fearful. It was pandemonium. The staff were in pure panic mode. At no point did the captain give us any information.”
After an eight-hour delay in Italy, the flight – which had departed on 23 December – was sent back to Gatwick before passengers finally reached Sharm El Sheikh the following morning.
Melanie said the ordeal left her and her daughter “utterly exhausted” and claimed it ruined the start of their holiday.
“I hadn’t been very well, so treated me and my daughter to an ultra-high-end all-inclusive in Sharm El Sheikh. I hadn’t been away for ages, it was definitely much-needed,” she said. “We were travelling for 40 hours. We were utterly exhausted. The experience was horrific. It was definitely a flight from hell. BA have performed in the most cavalier manner. The distress and trauma we went through – it was utterly traumatic. It ruined the start of our holiday.”
She says British Airways has offered £2,130 to cover the cancelled flight, meals and expenses, but is refusing to refund the £500 she lost on the first night of accommodation.
“I want the £500 for the missed accommodation too. It was a horrific experience,” she added.
British Airways, however, said the diversion was “a precaution” after a technical issue and insisted engineers found no evidence of toxic fumes.
A spokesperson said: “The safety of our customers and colleagues is always our top priority and our aircraft diverted as a precaution because of a technical issue.
“We’ve apologised to our customers for their experience and have offered compensation accordingly.”
