BA 56 - Incident onboard [JNB-LHR, police presence on arrival]
 

Any idea what the issue was with the BA56 this morning? Captain requested everyone to remain seated upon landing then the police boarded. Another 8 were waiting at the door of the aircraft.

Someone returning to the UK with a outstanding arrest warrant.

Could be something simple like someone returning to the country with an outstanding arrest warrant.

All your information is available to the authorities and it's quite an easy way for them to pick people up for outstanding issues.


cs

Alot of cops for one person! I suppose safety is best..

BA56 is JNB to LHR, for the benefit of anyone who hasn't yet memorised the entire BA timetable.

I doubt we will know the specifics unless you follow the news assiduously or it's a high profile story. The number of officers suggests it may be. This is standard procedure for someone who is going to be arrested as soon they arrive in the UK. Several scenarios are possible: the South African authorities have deported or refused admission to the individual concerned and told the Home Office; they are being extradited; they may have voluntarily indicated they are OK to return to the UK to be arrested. Or maybe they had no clue they were going to be arrested. Very occasionally they did something in flight and the captain asked the police to be in attendance, that wouldn't normally get 10 officers for one person of interest.

The police tend to treat these events in a similar way (I guess excluding very minor cases where the arrangement is to go to a specific police station a few days after arrival), so the captain makes that announcement, the CSD and crew shoo people back to their seats, and the doors are not opened until the cabin is sorted out. Then usually just a couple of officers come on, speak to the CSD, who leads them to the seat in question, and the individual (and his / her bag) quietly walk off the aircraft, up the airbridge and down to the police vehicle on the apron. It's all over in a minute or two, and once the police are off the airbridge everyone else can follow.

Of course, just because someone is arrested it doesn't mean they've done anything wrong. It may be a family custody issue or someone who is closely related to a person of interest.

I'm always surprised how efficient this operation is. In normal arrivals there are often people who affect not to hear the captain/CSD's announcements and open up the overheads halfway along 27R before the nose wheel has arrived in London. I've probably not seen this happen on a PEK flight however.

I remember arriving into CDG on an Air France flight where the chef de cabine made an announcement: "Ladies and gentlemen, please remain seated. Could Mme. [name of well known male terrorist] please come to the front of the aircraft where the police are waiting for her". I suspect he didn't follow the news very closely.

Has to be seen to be believed - returning in F from PEK a few weeks ago there were people in F (and from the shouted cabin crew instructions, other cabins further back too) who were literally on their feet, in the aisle, opening the overhead lockers before the nose wheel touched the runway. Apart from anything else it was an incredible show of balance as none of them managed to fall when the nose wheel touched down, reverse thrust activated, or wheel brakes activated!