There are many reasons why departure may be delayed. These also include a spontaneous ramp check by the local civil aviation authority. However, it is definitely not an everyday occurrence that passengers are asked to look for a specific serial number under the seat cushions, otherwise they will not be allowed to answer the phone.

Last Monday, February 5, 2024, passengers wanted to fly from Milan-Linate to London-Heathrow with an Airbus A320neo operated by British Airways. But after boarding, the crew received a surprise visit from inspectors from the Italian civil aviation authority ENAC. This carried out an unannounced ramp check.

So far, everything is still commonplace, because spontaneous checks are part of the daily work of the civil aviation authorities and make a significant contribution to flight safety. With European airlines, everything is usually fine or there are minimal deficiencies, mostly related to bureaucracy. For example, it may be that the insurance policy is not on board. This can then be sent from headquarters by fax or email and then presented to the inspectors.

Accordingly, the pilots and flight attendants of the British Airways flight took control in Italy calmly. Most crew members have experienced such a ramp check countless times and after all, the Airbus A320neo they were in is only five years old. Serious technical defects are very unlikely, especially since IAG has maintenance companies with an excellent reputation. But the ENAC inspectors found what they were looking for in a place that even surprised the employees of the Civil Aviation Authority.

Incorrect seat cushions in the exit row

With a trained eye it was discovered that in the area of ​​an emergency exit above the wings there was not enough distance between the end of the seat cushion and the front seat. What at first sounds like a banality is actually such a serious breach of aviation safety that ENAC officials told the captain that the plane would be grounded unless the problem could be remedied in the short term.

At first you would think that British Airways might have made the seating too narrow out of greed for profit. But that is not the case at all, as there may have been an oversight during the last overhaul of the seat cushions. In this type of aircraft, British Airways uses seat cushions in the emergency exit rows that are slightly shorter than in the other rows. In this way, the prescribed minimum distance to the front seat can be maintained, because in the event of an evacuation it must be ensured that the passengers can get past without any problems and do not get “stuck”.

Since British Airways does not have its own technology operation in the Milan metropolitan area, it would not have been possible to bring suitable seat cushions on board at short notice. As videos from passengers show, removing them is a small matter. That's exactly what the travelers had to do, because the ENAC inspectors offered the crew that they could search for the editions with the correct serial numbers on board and then simply install the right parts in the right place. Simply exchange a suitable support for a support that was accidentally installed in the wrong place.

Passengers had to help

This then led to a real scavenger hunt on board, because the flight attendants then asked that the travelers take out the seat cushions on which they were actually sitting and whoever found the serial number announced by the flight attendant should come forward immediately. The British Airways employee apologized several times for the circumstances, but added that if the operation was unsuccessful, everyone would have to get off because the plane would then be unsafe to fly.

So the passengers in the G-TTNA went looking. So that no one forgets exactly which numbers they are looking for, the flight attendant repeated them. You can see on videos that the ENAC inspectors didn't just stand around like a lecturer, but actively helped and immediately rushed to passengers who thought they had found the seat covers they were looking for. Ultimately, the “scavenger hunt” was actually successful and the pads with the correct serial numbers were found, installed in the emergency exit rows by the flight attendants, and those who were accidentally in the exit rows went where they were taken.

Problem solved, Airbus A320neo was allowed to take off

The supervisors of the Italian Civil Aviation Authority were satisfied with this. The crew then received an official inspection report, stamp and signature and then they could go to London Heathrow. The ramp check including the “scavenger hunt” caused flight BA575 to be delayed, but with the certainty that the minimum distance in the exit rows above the wings was now maintained in accordance with the “Safety First” principle.

When asked, ENAC explained that this is indeed an extremely rare defect. However, the inspectors' hands would have been tied because it was a serious violation of safety regulations, even though it may seem rather banal at first glance. Within their discretion, it is usual for the control bodies to give the crew the opportunity to solve the problem on the spot so that a time-consuming follow-up inspection can be avoided.

Interestingly, British Airways declined to comment on the matter. The most likely cause, however, is that there was simply an oversight when installing the seat covers. At least: Now it's been fixed, with the help of passengers and the official stamp of the Italian Civil Aviation Authority.