The faulty curtain
(Picture: ES)A British Airways flight from Seville to London was delayed by about an hour-and-a-half due to a fault with a curtain separating business class and economy travellers.
Passengers on the flight from Seville to London Gatwick told the Standard on Monday afternoon they had “never heard anything so ridiculous”, before they eventually took off just over three hours late.
The flight was due to leave Seville at 11.30am local time (10.30am in the UK) but did not take off until 2.45pm (1.45pm in the UK).
BA stressed the majority of the delay was due to foggy conditions which meant the plane could not land in Seville until around 12.30pm local time - more than an hour after it was due to leave - while the issue with the curtain was safety-related.
@BritisAirways right now sitting at Seville airport waiting for a delayed flight. Cause of delay…the curtain between business and euro traveller is broken. Really? Also absolutely no communication from the airport or BA staff
— William (@William73696915) November 14, 2022
A spokesman said: “We’ve apologised to customers for the delay to their flight which was caused by the aircraft diverting to an alternative airport on its previous journey due to poor visibility. The aircraft has now departed from Seville.”
Bewildered passengers were initially told the hold-up was due to foggy weather, but were then told by staff that there was a further hold-up due to an issue with a curtain dividing economy and first class.
“Passengers were very angry and suggested cutting off the curtain,” one passenger told the Standard from onboard the grounded plane.
“I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous before as an excuse for a delay.
“All the passengers were stuck in the boarding gate area with only limited food options. Wheelchair users were taken on the plane and then off again and then on again.”
Travellers were told by staff at the boarding gate, and later by stewardesses on board the plane that a faulty curtain was causing the delay.
It is understood the fault with the curtain left part of the rail structure loose, and could have posed a hazard had the plane taken off before it was secured.
Another passenger named William took to Twitter to express his frustration at the hold-up.
He wrote: “Sitting at Seville airport waiting for a delayed flight. Cause of delay…the curtain between business and euro traveller is broken. Really? Also absolutely no communication from the airport or BA staff”.
