Cathay pilot arrested at Heathrow 'for knives in luggage' ahead of Hong Kong flight
PUBLISHED : Monday, 20 April, 2015, 2:42pm
UPDATED : Monday, 20 April, 2015, 3:52pm
Phila Siu [email protected]
Cathay said that 'at no point were passengers or staff put at risk' over the incident. Photo: AFP
A Cathay Pacific pilot was arrested after he was discovered carrying knives in his hand luggage at London’s Heathrow Airport yesterday.
The pilot of Flight CX254 was stopped at a staff search area before he could get on the plane for an evening long-haul flight to Hong Kong.
Police were called in to investigate at around 9.10pm on Saturday – about an hour before the flight carrying 262 passengers was scheduled to take off at 10.20pm.
Metropolitan police arrested the man “on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place and possession of a knife blade / sharp pointed article in a public place”, according to The Guardian website.
He was brought to a local police station and was later bailed to return in mid-May pending further inquiries, the report said. “The CID at Heathrow airport is investigating,” it added.
Cathay earlier said that “at no point were passengers or staff put at risk” over the incident.
A spokesman for Cathay in Hong Kong refused to disclose more details, only saying that the incident “happened on the ground”.
Because of the pilot's arrest, the flight had to be delayed until the next day. “The airlines assisted passengers with overnight accommodation and alternative flight arrangements,” a spokesman for Cathay told the South China Morning Post.
The flight departed London at 2.47pm local time on Sunday and arrived in Hong Kong at 9.31am today, the spokesman said.
“As the incident is subject to police investigation, we are unable to provide further information,” he told the Post. “We will continue to cooperate with the authorities.”
Another Cathay Pacific pilot who spoke to the Post said security checks for pilots are "more lax" than they are for passengers in most airports around the world - except for Heathrow.
In some European and US airports, pilots are allowed to bring sharp items such as scissors and nail clippers onboard, said the pilot, who refused to be named.
“But you can’t do that in the UK. We always say that the Heathrow airport is the strictest airport in the world.”
