London, United Kingdom: British Airways has launched an investigation after all three pilots operating Flight BA276 from Hyderabad to London Heathrow on July 20, 2026 reportedly fell ill with suspected food poisoning during the flight, with one first officer becoming incapacitated at around 30,000 feet and requiring oxygen.
The incident occurred after the flight crew had spent an overnight layover in Hyderabad. According to reports, the three pilots had breakfast together in the club lounge of the hotel where they were staying before operating the long-haul service to London. They also reportedly drank bottled water supplied by an external company. The hotel itself has not been publicly identified by British Airways.
BA276, operated by a Boeing 777-200ER, was scheduled to fly from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad to London Heathrow. The flight takes roughly 10 1⁄2 to 11 hours, and the aircraft was operating with three pilots to allow the crew to take rest periods during the long-haul journey.
At some point during the flight, one of the first officers reportedly became seriously unwell and was rendered incapacitated while the aircraft was cruising at approximately 30,000 feet. He reportedly required oxygen and was in need of significant medical attention after the aircraft reached Heathrow.
The other two pilots also reportedly developed symptoms but remained able to operate the aircraft. Their conditions reportedly worsened after the aircraft landed in the UK. Despite the health emergency affecting the entire flight-deck crew, British Airways said passenger safety was not compromised and that the flight was operated safely.
All three pilots subsequently filed mandatory Air Safety Reports and were asked to provide medical samples so that doctors could investigate the possible source of the illness. The investigation is examining whether the pilots’ shared breakfast or the bottled water consumed during their Hyderabad stopover could have been responsible. However, no definitive cause of the illness has been established.
The incident has also raised questions about the Hyderabad accommodation used by British Airways crews. Reports citing pilot representatives and union sources said there had been previous complaints about hygiene at the hotel, with claims of numerous or “dozens” of concerns. These allegations have not been independently confirmed by British Airways.
The airline said it was reviewing its crew accommodation arrangements in Hyderabad following reports of sickness. In a statement quoted by Gulf News, British Airways said: “The welfare of our colleagues is a top priority, and we are reviewing crew accommodation in this location following some isolated reports of sickness.”
The incident has prompted renewed attention to food-safety precautions for flight crews, particularly on long-haul operations. Airlines commonly take measures to reduce the risk of pilots being incapacitated by foodborne illness, including avoiding identical meals for operating pilots. In this case, however, all three pilots reportedly became unwell after eating together during their hotel stopover.
The precise cause of the pilots’ illness remains under investigation, and British Airways has not publicly confirmed that food poisoning was definitively responsible. The airline’s review of the Hyderabad accommodation arrangements, together with the medical samples provided by the pilots, is expected to help establish whether the illness was linked to food, water or another source.
