Originally Posted by edi-traveller

I have read several articles on this incident now and it is a clear example of media hyperbole.

Early reports stated that the pilots asked, "the senior cabin crew member to come to the flight deck."

Now tell me I'm wrong but that is standard BA code for "We have an incident and we need to brief the senior cabin member without unduly alarming the pax. "

I know because I have had to return to LHR incidents in 20 years where this phrase has been used.

However more up to date reports include the extra words...."The pilots came on the intercom, panic stricken, and demanded that a senior crew member should go to the cockpit."

I suspect the panic stricken element is pure invention by the media and has been Chinese whispered into successive stories.