Pilots are calling for lasers to be classified as an offensive weapon.
Earlier this month, a Virgin Atlantic plane bound for New York City, returned back to London Heathrow airport soon after takeoff due to the pilot becoming unwell. A laser had been shun from the ground into the cockpit resulting in a “medical issue”. Passengers were put in a hotel for the night and resumed their journey the next day. No arrests have been made, but police are investigating.
According to the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA), a laser can result in temporary vision loss associated with flash blindness. It can also cause an after-image – an “image left in the visual field after exposure to a bright light” – and glare in the cockpit.
Such incidents are on the rise, as powerful handheld lasers become more common and affordable. In 2014, there were 1,440 incidents in the UK alone, according to the UK Civilian Aviation Authority.
BALPA’s general secretary, Jim McAuslan said “We repeat our call to the government to classify lasers as offensive weapons which would give the police more power to arrest people for possessing them if they had no good reason to have them.”
Recording of the Virgin Atlantic pilot requesting to return back to Heathrow:
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