LONDON- British Airways (BA) has been fined £3.2 million following two serious falls involving baggage handlers at London Heathrow Airport (LHR). The airline was warned of safety risks months before the incidents occurred, yet failed to take corrective action.
The two separate accidents happened at London Heathrow Airport, involving employees loading luggage onto British Airways aircraft. Both suffered major injuries after falling from a height due to unsafe baggage loading platforms.
Photo: By Davidi Vardi – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=132086956British Airways Fined £3.2 Million
In August 2022, Ravinder Teji, a 54-year-old baggage handler, fell 1.5 meters through an unguarded gap on a televator while loading luggage onto an Airbus A320 at Heathrow Airport (LHR).
He fractured ribs and sustained a head injury after hitting the ground. Seven months later, in March 2023, Shahjahan Malik, 43, fell three meters from a TLD elevator in snowy conditions, suffering a brain bleed, multiple fractures, and facial injuries.
Both incidents occurred after a March 2022 health and safety audit warned British Airways (BA) of fall risks due to inadequate guard rails on luggage loading equipment.
According to The Standard, the audit highlighted gaps between equipment and safety rails, but BA failed to act before the accidents.
Southwark Crown Court heard that the airline had scaled back guard rails in 2011, creating persistent safety hazards.
Judge Brendan Finucane KC noted that extending guard rails was feasible and could have prevented the falls, describing the incidents as a “red warning light” for the aviation industry.
Photo: dnataCourt Proceedings and Penalties
The court imposed fines of £1.333 million and £1.875 million for the two incidents, totaling £3.2 million, plus £20,935 in costs and a £120 victim surcharge.
British Airways (BA) pleaded guilty to two health and safety breaches following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Prosecutor Andrew McGee emphasized that the equipment lacked proper guarding, posing a clear fall risk, exacerbated by wet and snowy conditions. HSE lawyer Rebecca Schwartz stated the victims were “fortunate to be alive.”
BA’s counsel, James Leonard KC, expressed “deep regret,” acknowledging the accidents were avoidable.
However, he noted that a safety inspection shortly before Malik’s fall did not flag the equipment as a risk, suggesting industry-wide use of similar setups.
Despite this, the court held BA accountable for ignoring the 2022 notice of contravention, which explicitly identified the guard rail issue.
Photo: By Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia – British Airways, G-EUUA, Airbus A320-232, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44280753Impact on Victims
Both Teji and Malik suffered psychological trauma and have since returned to work in different roles.
Teji recalled hitting his head and curling into the recovery position, while Malik required urgent hospitalization for a brain bleed.
The court highlighted that three other BA workers had slipped on similar equipment previously, escaping serious injury, which underscored the ongoing risk.
The incidents expose broader safety challenges in aviation, where workers face slippery conditions and time pressures.
Judge Finucane stressed that airlines and airport operators worldwide must prioritize equipment safety to prevent such accidents.
BA stated it has since revised procedures in collaboration with the HSE, but the case underscores the need for proactive compliance with safety audits.
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