Really support
independent journalism
Our mission is to provide unbiased, fact-based reporting that empowers accountability and exposes the truth.
Whether it’s $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us in providing journalism without an agenda.
Stanley Johnson has hit out at criticism of his insistence on leaving a British Airways flight that diverted to Heathrow.
On Friday, the writer – who is the father of Boris Johnson – was on board BA2641 from Malaga to London Gatwick.
When a separate British Airways flight refused to take off at Gatwick, the runway was closed for 50 minutes and 16 flights were diverted – including Mr Johnson’s flight which landed at Heathrow.
The plan was to refuel the Airbus A321 and make a short flight to Gatwick. But some passengers wanted to get off – including Mr Johnson.
In the events that followed, the police were called to help deal with the problem and the next flight was later canceled – other passengers were taken to Gatwick by bus.
The plane later flew from Heathrow to Gatwick, arriving about five hours late; the next scheduled flight was cancelled.
Recording The IndependentMr. Johnson gave his side of the story.
He writes: “As we crossed the coast of France the pilot came on the PA to announce that unfortunately a plane was stuck on the runway below us and we would have to circle until they sorted things out.
“Ten minutes later he made another announcement: ‘The plane on the runway below us is still stopped,’ he told us. “We’ll have to divert to Heathrow.
“When we were landing at Heathrow, the captain informed us that when we got some fuel we would do a ‘short hop’ back to Gatwick.
Mr Johnson says the captain has invited passengers without checked bags to disembark at Heathrow if they wish.
“That sounded like a very good idea to me,” writes Mr. Johnson.
“I grabbed my bags from the rack and went to the front entrance of the plane. I was joined by two other passengers and the three of us walked out the door to the top of the metal stairs that were already in place.
“All we had to do, I imagined, was for the three of us to wait for the ground transport to arrive to take us to the terminal building. That was the mistake.
“For reasons I still cannot fathom, the airport authorities decided that even though the three of us, in response to the captain’s invitation, were ready and willing to disembark, it could not be allowed.
“Apparently, as Gatwick was the planned destination, everyone would have to disembark at Gatwick – including the three of us, even though we were no longer physically on the plane but standing on the platform outside the cockpit.”
It follows that the offer to allow passengers to leave has been withdrawn, which may have been due to logistics or passport control pressure at Heathrow.
Stanley Johnson continues, “I’m not a troublemaker by nature. For some reason, several police vehicles had gathered at the foot of the stairs.
“Lots of police officers were talking into walkie-talkies. I suspect I would have ended up being watched, disgruntled, back in the cabin. But it wasn’t that simple.
“One of my two companions was a woman who, frankly, was on the verge of hysteria. “I absolutely cannot get back on the plane,” she cried. “I just lost my husband in a plane crash. It was the only thing I could do this morning to get on the plane in Malaga. I just can’t imagine going back in it now, for another takeoff and another landing. No I will not. I’m definitely not going to.'”
Other passengers said it The Independent about a passenger with a fear of flying. One passenger, Annemarie, said Mr Johnson and the jittery flyer “were quite upset and therefore the police”.
“Ultimately, the authorities decided on the nuclear option,” Johnson continues.
“Rather than let the three of us, carrying our handbags, jump into one of the police vehicles and jump into the arrivals hall, they decided to redefine the flight – not as a flight from Malaga to Gatwick, but as a flight from Malaga to Heathrow. .
“We could be allowed to disembark as we could now be considered to have ‘reached our intended destination’. This effectively meant they canceled the flight.
“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry for the inconvenience caused to other passengers, some of whom no doubt had cars or loved ones waiting at Gatwick, who unwittingly disembarked at Heathrow instead.”
In conclusion, he adds: “I’m glad that I stood up for myself. And there was at least one passenger—the poor woman whose husband had just died in a plane crash—who thanked me for it.
The passenger involved and the circumstances surrounding the tragedy have not been identified. The last fatal British Airways accident happened in Manchester in 1985.
Other passengers criticized Mr Johnson. Richard Davenport, said The Independent: “When Stanley Johnson decided he wanted to get off – along with another passenger – we subsequently missed the slot.
“The sorting took several hours and eventually BA canceled the flight. All passengers then had to disembark and proceed through immigration and then by bus to Gatwick.
“With the car parked at Gatwick, we didn’t have to just go to Heathrow. It left 99.5 percent of passengers with a bitter aftertaste.
A British Airways spokesman said on Friday: “Due to an earlier disruption at Gatwick, the flight was diverted to Heathrow where it ended.”
The Independent asked BA to explain the incident.
Heathrow Airport declined to comment.