Moment hazmat crew boards British Airways plane after mid-flight ‘pandemonium’

A mother recorded a hazmat crew boarding a British Airways plane, after what she described as "pandemonium" on board the flight. Melanie Wells, 61, said she flew out for a £7,500 all-inclusive TUI package holiday to Egypt with her 19-year-old daughter on 23 December. She said she developed a bad headache, which she initially attributed to the "extreme temperature" on the plane, after boarding at London Gatwick. Ms Wells claimed that passengers and crew fell "seriously ill" with staff collapsing down the aisle within two hours of taking off. She said the flight made an emergency landing in Venice, where a hazmat crew boarded the aircraft, and it was then diverted back to London. BA said: "The safety of our customers and colleagues is always our top priority, and our aircraft diverted as a precaution because of a technical issue. "We've apologised to our customers for their experience and have offered compensation accordingly." They said there was no evidence of any fumes on board, and the plane was checked and back in service the next day.