Cyprus-bound passengers screamed in terror after an equipment malfunction caused cabin pressure to suddenly skyrocket inside the aircraft as they awaited their British Airways flight to take off from Heathrow Airport, the Sun and the Express reported on Monday.
Travellers on the flight from Heathrow to Larnaca screamed “let me off” as the cabin pressure rocketed at midday on Sunday, they said.
Before the flight took off, the plane’s software pressurised the cabin, believing the aircraft was airborne.
Passengers on board the flight said screams rang out, with some travellers clutching their ears in agonising pain.
One passenger said: “Everyone was in agony and one man passed out. There was a noise and all of a sudden the air pressure went through the roof.
A BA spokesperson said: “There was a minor technical fault. The aircraft returned to stand and our engineers fixed the fault before the plane departed. Our highly skilled flight and cabin crew are trained to deal with situations like this, and our cabin crew reassured and cared for customers after there was a minor technical fault before the aircraft departed.”
