Passengers on a British Airways flight had the shock of their lives after their plane was struck by lightning just moments before take-off.
The drama unfolded at [insert airport name if known – e.g., Heathrow Airport], where the BA flight was preparing to depart when nature decided to deliver a terrifying reminder of who’s really in charge.
One witness described the moment a massive bolt of lightning lit up the sky and struck the aircraft’s fuselage, saying it looked like something straight out of a disaster movie.
“There was this loud bang and a flash – everyone on board just froze. The whole plane shook,” said one startled passenger. “We hadn’t even left the runway yet!”
The aircraft, which was reportedly headed for [insert destination], was immediately taken out of service for inspection. BA confirmed that engineers were called in to assess the damage before anyone was allowed back on board.
A spokesperson for British Airways said:
“Safety is always our highest priority. The aircraft was returned to stand as a precaution and is being thoroughly checked by our highly trained engineers.”
Luckily, no injuries were reported, though a few nerves were definitely frayed. Some passengers were even seen deboarding with their phones out, probably halfway through filming the next viral TikTok.
Lightning strikes on planes might sound terrifying, but believe it or not, they’re actually not that uncommon. Commercial aircraft are built to withstand them, with some estimates suggesting each plane gets hit once or twice a year.
Still, if you’re the one sitting by the window when the sky decides to zap your ride – yeah, it’s going to leave a mark on your holiday nerves.
BA offered affected passengers a new flight, along with the usual “refreshments and support,” which is airline speak for a bottle of water and a biscuit, if you’re lucky.
Moral of the story? Always keep your tray table up, seatbelt fastened… and maybe give the clouds a side-eye before boarding.
