‘My heart missed a beat’
A COUPLE have spoken of their nightmare wake-up call on a trip back from America.
Mary Atkins and her husband Brian, from Sudbury, were flying back from a holiday in Miami at 3am when an announcement informed passengers that the plane needed to make an emergency landing in the sea.
The news sparked hysteria among the passengers, many of whom had been sleeping, until British Airways cabin crew revealed the message had been played by accident and there was nothing to worry about.
“My heart missed a beat and I felt sick,” said Mrs Atkins, who is a trustee with the Sudbury Common Lands charity.
“A few people were screaming, which didn’t help, but luckily my husband stayed incredibly calm.”
The plane landed as scheduled at Heathrow airport with representatives from the airline on hand to offer relieved passengers counselling and a written apology for the incident.
“I have flown all over the world but I have never known anything like this,” added Mrs Atkins.
An investigation into how the announcement was triggered is being carried out by British Airways.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sudbury
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.