A group of 16 British Airways pilots have sued the airline for more than £250,000, alleging they “cramped their necks as they turned to check the cockpit security cameras for terrorists”.
- Pilots claim that stretching their neck to check security cameras has resulted in injuries.
- Video surveillance systems were installed in cockpits after the September 11 attacks.
- They claim that the screens were placed at the rear of the cockpits of some aircraft.
- All 16 pilots flew for British Airways in their Boeing 757 or 767 aircraft.
A group of British Airways pilots are suing their bosses for more than £250,000, alleging they constantly strained their necks to check cockpit security cameras for terrorists.
The 16 veteran pilots, led by Capt. Jonathan Parry, say they are left with neck and spinal pain from constantly turning to check on a CCTV screen at the back of the cockpit showing the crew honking to be let in.
A triple-camera security system was introduced after the 9/11 attacks to stop terrorists invading the cockpit by giving pilots a clear camera view of anyone who wants to gain access before letting them in.
Captain Jonathan Parry is suing British Airways after he said his neck was injured from constantly having to fiddle around in the cockpit to view CCTV footage of people trying to gain access to the flight deck.
He is among 16 pilots who claim that the CCTV displays should have been located in the front of the cockpit so that in the evening one could
But 16 lawyers say screens displaying those outside the cockpit should have been located at the front of the cockpit so that airmen didn’t have to crane their necks.
They are now seeking compensation payments ranging from £10,000 to £100,000 and lawyers say there could be health and safety issues if a pilot is injured in flight due to neck twisting.
The aviation giant denies responsibility for the injuries of the pilots, arguing that it did not violate its duty to protect them from injury, and also disputing the size of its claims.
The case is led by Captain Parry, 57, from Camberley, Surrey, who joined the airline in 2006 after serving in the Royal Navy and flying Boeing 757s and 767s until 2014.
In court documents, his attorney, Christopher Edwards, says Capt. Parry claims he was strapped so tightly to his cockpit seat that it was inconvenient to turn his entire body to check the cockpit door surveillance system (CDSS) monitor.
Instead, he had to turn his neck up to five times an hour before opening the flight deck door, which he calculated amounted to about 5,000 “neck turns per year” in total.
“The CCTV system allows the pilot to see a screen installed behind him or her on the rear wall of the cockpit,” the lawyer explained in documents filed with the Central London District Court.
The pilots flew either a Boeing 757 or a Boeing 767 pictured here in New York.
Pilots claim that the location of the CCTV screens forced them to turn awkwardly up to 5,000 times a year, resulting in injury.
“When the buzzer sounds, the pilot turns his neck to look at the image from the first camera, and then turns forward again to use the controls in front of him to switch to the second camera view.
The pilot then turns his neck again to look at the CDSS screen and see the image displayed by the second camera.
The same process is then repeated for the third chamber. Finally he operates the controls to open the door.
“The pilot is strapped into a large, high-back, non-swivel seat. Therefore, it is very difficult to turn the body and not roll the neck.
“Mr. Parry’s best estimate is that he twisted his neck to use CDDS 5,000 times a year. ‘
Captain Parry says he has a luxated disc and spinal injury from repetitive neck twisting and had to undergo spinal surgery in 2015 to treat his condition.
He and 16 colleagues are now suing BA for compensation, alleging that their bosses are at fault for not placing a screen at the front of the cab.
But the aviation giants deny their guilt, as well as dispute the amount of the claimed damage.
The case was taken to the Central London District Court last week, with lawyers handling pre-trial issues related to legal costs and the quantification of 16 claims.
No date has yet been set for the trial, which will focus on whether BA has violated its duty to care for its pilots and the exact reasons for their condition.
After a brief court hearing, the group’s lawyer said some of the pilots who filed the lawsuit were forced to switch aircraft due to the effects of their injuries.
And he said there is more general concern about the risks of flying with a neck strain, with potential health and safety issues if the pilot is injured in the air.
MailOnline has reached out to British Airways for comment.