A British Airways pilot has been suspended after breaching anti-terror laws.
Flight BA174, which was due to travel from New York to Heathrow, was unable to take off due to the cockpit door being allegedly left open, reports suggest.
The flight was cancelled due to the alleged incident.
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Hundreds of passengers were reportedly disrupted after the in-flight crew reported the captain's actions.
Flight BA174 was unable to take off due to the cockpit door being allegedly left open, reports say
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A source told The Sun that those on board immediately noticed the cockpit door was open, leaving passengers “incredibly uneasy”.
They added: "The door was wide open for a significant time — enough for people to worry and comment.
"BA colleagues were so alarmed that the pilot was reported in the US and bosses had to suspend him.”
Sources claim that the pilot wanted his family, who were on board the flight, to see him operating the controls.
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The flight from JFK international was cancelled due to the alleged incident
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The pilot is understood to be back flying already since no security threat was identified.
His suspension was in line with BA policy, according to sources at the airline.
British Airways said fliers who were due to travel on the cancelled flight were given alternative options, with the majority of passengers only facing minor delays.
An airline spokesman said: "Safety and security is our top priority and allegations of this nature are always fully investigated."
The pilot is understood to be back flying already since no security threat was identified
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The regulations surrounding cockpit doors came into force as an anti-terror law following the 9/11 attacks in 2001.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, four commercial jets were hijacked by 19 Al Qaeda terrorists and crashed into US landmarks.
Two planes were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York City, causing both towers to collapse. A third plane was crashed into the Pentagon, just outside Washington, DC.
The fourth plane, thought to be targeting the White House, crashed in rural Pennsylvania after the crew and passengers took back control of the aircraft.