A BRITISH Airways crew member was found dead in his hotel bed on a stopover between flights.
Today, mystery surrounded the circumstances of the tragedy.
His colleagues raised the alarm when he didn’t report for duty for a flight back from San Francisco to the UK.
Flight BA284 from the US to London Heathrow was cancelled at the last moment, with around 850 passengers affected.
Devastated staff “were unable to board” the four engine Airbus A380-800 after news of the tragedy unfolded.
Airline bosses were yesterday trying to understand what happened after the young steward checked-in to the crew’s luxury £150-a-night Marriott Marquis hotel.
It is feared he could have been dead in his room for up to two days, after working on a flight from Heathrow to California.
He failed to report for duty for Thursday’s flight back from San Francisco.
The pilots left BA’s four-star hotel for the airport without their colleague when he failed to show up on time.
But the cabin crew and inflight managers waited for him to arrive in reception – and raised the alarm with hotel staff when they couldn’t contact him by phone.
With the help of hotel management, BA’s crew leaders entered his room and found the steward dead in his bed.
The pilots were told of the tragedy, and immediately returned to the crew hotel to support their devastated team.
Passengers were told their flight back to Britain had been cancelled but not the reason behind the last-gasp grounding.
Hotel accommodation was provided for flyers, and staff battled to get them on different flights to Heathrow within 48 hours.
A source told The Sun: “Everyone at BA is in shock and totally devastated.
“The steward was a popular member of the team and this came as a bolt from the blue.
“The grim reality is that he may have been dead in his bed for some tine after arriving at the hotel on Tuesday, two days earlier.
“There was no way the flight back from San Francisco could go ahead. Staff were in absolute bits at the sudden loss of their friend.
“Everyone is feeling a huge sense of loss and disbelief.”
The airline confirmed a staff member was found dead in San Francisco on Thursday and bosses were supporting his shocked family.
A spokesperson for British Airways told The Sun last night: “Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of our colleague at this difficult time.”
1
