In what sounds like something straight out of inflight banter gone wrong, three British Airways cabin crew members ended up in a Los Angeles hospital after innocently consuming what they thought were harmless sweets, only to find out the goodies were laced with high-potency marijuana gummy bears.
The incident unfolded after a long-haul flight from London Heathrow to Los Angeles last week. Tired but relieved to be on the ground, several crew members accepted a gift of sweets from a passenger. Unfortunately for three of the team, the treats were far from ordinary.
Medical staff later estimated that each gummy may have contained up to 300mg of THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis responsible for the “high” sensation. That’s many times more than a typical recreational dose, and far more than many people expect to ingest in an edible.
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‘Out of Body’ Experiences and Panic
Thankfully, the crew didn’t eat the gummies during the flight; instead, they tucked into them on the crew shuttle bus to the hotel. However, almost immediately, they began experiencing worrying symptoms. Colleagues described them feeling “out of control,” with reports of panic and out-of-body sensations as the drug took effect.
By the time they reached their hotel, three members were sufficiently unwell to be taken to hospital for treatment. Thankfully, all have now recovered and are believed to be back on UK soil. British Airways confirmed the sickness but noted passenger safety was never compromised.
The airline had to replace the affected crew for the return flight to London. A fresh team flew the service home while the original staff were stood down and later repatriated as passengers on a later flight.
One insider told reporters that it’s “not unusual” for passengers to offer sweets or small gifts, especially after long flights. Still, this episode has raised serious questions about the safety implications of such gestures. “It’s a godsend the sweets weren’t eaten at altitude,” the source told The Sun, noting the potentially catastrophic implications if the crew had been impaired mid-flight.
Police Hunt Passenger
British Airways is now working with authorities to identify and locate the passenger who supplied the cannabis-laced gummies. If found, that individual could face multiple charges, including drug distribution and endangering public safety.
BA has stressed that the three crew members won’t face disciplinary action because they had no reason to suspect the sweets were anything other than a friendly gesture.
One thing’s for sure, it might make even the most seasoned of crew members think twice before sampling mystery sweets at the end of a long sector.
[Cover image credit: British Airways]
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