Passenger Restrained and Removed From Jamaica-Bound BA Flight
Jackie Reddy April 28, 2017
Kwame Bantu entered the plane’s business class cabin in order to stretch his leg, but says he was roughly manhandled by staff.
A passenger onboard a recent Jamaica-bound British Airways (BA) flight says he was tied up by crew after attempting to enter the plane’s business class cabin. The incident occurred on Wednesday onboard British Airways Flight BA2263 from London Gatwick Airport (LGW).
The Daily Mail reports that Londoner Kwame Bantu, who has been diagnosed with both diabetes and cancer, had moved from economy to business class because he felt dizzy and needed to stretch his swollen leg.
Bantu was quickly accosted by crew who, he says, restrained his hands and feet and moved him back to economy. “I was just trying to get some room to stretch my leg,” he told the outlet.
“They ambushed me. They tied my feet, my shoulders and my arms and they left me in my seat. I was completely humiliated,” Bantu added.
Joy Stoney, a fellow passenger on the flight, attempted to intervene on behalf of Bantu when she reportedly saw him being dragged through the aisle of the plane by cabin crew.
“They restrained him by his shoulders via his neck and hands with straps. His ankles were strapped and on top of everything, they handcuffed him,” she told the outlet.
BA2263 was then diverted to a Portuguese air base on the Azorean island of Terceira as a result of the incident. Both travelers were removed from the flight and a spokesperson for the Portuguese air force confirmed with Agence France-Presse, as reported by BT, that both passengers will “remain in Terceira and will be questioned by police.”
BA confirmed that it was investigating the incident.
In a statement to the outlet, it said that, “Our cabin crew and one of our pilots repeatedly asked a customer to return to his booked seat in economy after he sat in our business class cabin without permission. He repeatedly refused, verbally abused crew members and disturbed other customers. As a last resort, our cabin crew felt they had no option but to restrain the customer in the interests of the safety of everyone on board and helped him walk back to his original seat.”
[Photo: Shutterstock]
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Surprisingly well done, BA! that's what all airlines should do with those great unwashed from the back of the plane who decide not to pay for J but then invade the front cabin even if staff tells them to turn around. Handcuffing and removing of the flight sounds perfectly reasonable :-)
Based on this article alone, I would have thought going into the business class cabin just "stretch legs" was indeed inappropriate. Most people need a leg stretch even after an hour or two. His past medical history is irrelevant. He booked economy - so he should stay there.
Oh the horror, an airline enforced the rules. There are other places and ways to stretch one's legs besides self-upgrading to business class.