A British Airways Boeing 777 bound for Washington Dulles was delayed for six hours at Heathrow Airport on Saturday, 16 May 2026. The delay followed the accidental deployment of an emergency evacuation slide by a newly qualified cabin crew member on only their second day of duty. The incident occurred during pushback from gate B47 at Heathrow’s Terminal 5, causing passengers to disembark for safety checks.
Slide Deploys Unexpectedly
The emergency slide attached to door 3L suddenly inflated onto the tarmac as the crew member, confused by the “doors to automatic” procedure, inadvertently opened the door instead of arming it. This activated the evacuation slide system, prompting a halt before takeoff.
Passenger Disruption
Passengers had to leave the aircraft while engineering teams inspected, deflated, and replaced the deployed slide. The safety measure was essential to ensuring the aircraft was fully operational before departure.
Lengthy Flight Delay
Flight BA217 eventually departed around 7pm, six hours behind schedule. British Airways issued an apology to all affected passengers for the disruption and inconvenience caused by the incident.
Airport And Airline Procedures Reviewed
The airline and Heathrow Airport will review staff training and emergency procedures to avoid similar mishaps in the future, especially for new crew members adjusting to safety protocols on board.
