BA captain suspended after cockpit door left open on NY-London flight

A British Airways captain was suspended after leaving the cockpit door open during a transatlantic flight so his family, who were passengers on board, could watch him at the controls. The door remained open for a substantial period, alarming fellow travelers and prompting crew to report the lapse. The disrupted service, BA174 from New York to London, was canceled on arrival, and the Civil Aviation Authority launched an urgent security review. The airline later said the pilot had returned to duty after an inquiry determined there was no security threat, while reiterating that safety and security are top priorities.

Witnesses on board say the cockpit door being left ajar was immediately noticeable to passengers, with some expressing unease or concern about the breach of security norms established since the September 11 attacks. An insider recounted that the door was “wide open for a significant time,” and that crew and passengers were left confused about what was happening. In response, colleagues at BA reportedly filed the incident for investigation, and the pilot was grounded in line with standard policy while the matter was assessed.

The breach occurred on the Heathrow-to-New...