Summary
- Accidental slide deployments during flights are rare but can happen, posing a risk to crew and passengers.
- Proper arming and disarming of slides is vital for passenger safety during emergencies.
- Despite incidents, flying remains the safest mode of transport, in part due to safety measures like inflatable evacuation slides.
On February 3, Flight BA886 was scheduled to depart London Heathrow (LHR) at 09:55, bound for Bucharest (OTP), when it suffered an incident. The aircraft, an Airbus A320-200 registered G-EUUB, was unable to complete the flight after the captain mistakenly activated the emergency slide while opening the door.
The Sun initially reported the incident, saying that the captain had opened the door to pass documentation to ground crew. However, other outlets have subsequently reported that the overhead bins were full, and the door was opened to pass suitcases to the crew loading bags into the hold.
Whatever the circumstances, it’s a pretty grave error on the part of the pilot, and not something you’d expect a captain to get wrong. According to the Sun, the pilot has been suspended from duties for the time being.
In a statement, British Airways told Simple Flying.
We apologized to customers for the delay and arranged a replacement aircraft to ensure they were able to continue their journey.
BA’s engineers examined and repaired the plane; it later returned to service when it was determined it was fit to fly.
Five incidents in just over a year
It’s not the first time British Airways has had an unexpected slide deployment affect its operations. In fact, it’s the fifth time this has happened in a little over a year.
In January, BA flight 136, linking London Heathrow with Mumbai (BOM), also suffered an accidental deployment of the slides as the cabin manager gave an impromptu lesson on how to operate the aircraft door. Also in January, a Boeing 777 had its emergency slide open inadvertently as the aircraft was preparing to take off to Lagos.
Other incidents took place last year, and while it’s not common for slides to be deployed in error, BA seems to be having a bit of a time of it.
Accidental slide activations can be very costly to airlines. This week’s event is reported by the Sun to have cost the airline around £50,000 ($63,000). The cost of inflating a slide is usually nearer $30,000 and includes repacking the slide, which can cost upwards of $12,000, and the cost of additional safety repairs and checks. However, the actual price tag may vary between each aircraft type.
Photo: Mario Hagen | Shutterstock
How Much Can Unintentional Slide Deployments Cost Airlines?
Unintentional slide deployment costs airlines as much as $30,000.
Other slide mishaps
Although accidental slide deployments remain rare, they are among the most frequent incidents affecting a flight.
Last year, a similar incident affected a Delta Boeing 767 when N189DN, en route from New York’s JFK Airport to Los Angeles, diverted to Salt Lake City following a technical issue. Once on the ground, the emergency evacuation slide was accidentally deployed. Unfortunately, a crew member was taken to hospital, injured by the device’s activation. There were no injuries among the passengers.
Even a superjumbo once had this happen on the ground at Manchester Airport on December 20, 2020.
Emirates Airbus A380 Slide Inflates With Jet Bridge Attached In Manchester
An Emirates A380 had a slide deploy while at the gate, potentially damaging the aircraft.
A vital piece of equipment.
“Cabin crew, arm doors for departure”; this sentence is heard on every commercial flight. The crew must manually attach the slides to the door, as on the famous Boeing 737, or set them up automatically on the Airbus A320. To arm them correctly is vital for passenger safety as the equipment provides a safe escape route in an emergency.
Photo: Airbus
They are the quickest way out of an aircraft, which must be evacuated in less than 90 seconds in the case of an accident. Their use can affect the outcome for passengers. Japan Airlines flight 516 is a prime example of the proper use of the evacuation route. All passengers survived as not only did the flight attendants arm the doors adequately, but passengers also followed their instructions when using the escape. Passengers only suffered minor bruises from the friction despite the plane being declared a hull loss.
How Do Emergency Slides Work On Airplanes?
A brief summary of one of the key safety features of airplanes.
The slides can also be dangerous for flight attendants. They inflate rapidly; gas from the canister in the compartment where the device is stored moves through the aspirators quickly, creating a vacuum. Air then passes into aspirators through louvers, which close once the slide is fully inflated. This whole process happens within seconds. If the slide has not been adequately disarmed at the gate, the activation may surprise the crew and even injure them, like on the Delta flight above.
Overall, these incidents remain extremely rare, as cabin crew and pilots alike prepare the cabin for it to be safe and comfortable before every flight. Thanks, in part, to the inflatable equipment, flying remains the safest means of transport available today.
