British Airways bans cabin crew from taking certain photos on layovers

Daily Mirror

a day ago

BA has cited security concerns over potential AI-powered location identification as the main reason for the ban, which follows another set of photo rules for staff that was introduced in 2023
British Airways staff have been banned from posting photos during layovers in popular destinations, it has been reported.
The UK's flag carrier has implemented strict new social media restrictions aimed at stopping cabin crew from sharing layover snaps from their accommodation in locations such as the Maldives, Cape Town and Singapore.
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The airline has not implemented the ban in a bid to ruin all of the fun, but instead to mitigate any potential security risks. BA has cited security concerns over potential AI-powered location identification as the main reason for the ban.
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It claims that sophisticated computer software could analyze seemingly innocent background details to identify specific hotel locations and crew accommodation patterns, potentially putting the flight staff in jeopardy.
Now, crew members must delete such photos and videos from their personal accounts, even private ones. Aviation A2Z reports that all British Airways members, including pilots and cabin crew, are affected.
Get Ready With Me videos - in which people film themselves putting on their outfit for the day - filmed in hotel rooms and bathrooms are now banned. Outfit of the Day content showing off BA uniform is also on the scrapheap.
Fun photos taken in hotel pools, at private beaches and in the lobby areas are also now forbidden.
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Back in February 2023, BA introduced a raft of new rules that stopped staff from posting videos and pictures while they were "professionally engaged' in their duties. That included workers on security checks, passenger service, and operational activities.
Those rules were designed to clamp down on cabin crew members documenting their lives for TikTok and Instagram followers. A ban on sharing photos of crew sat inside aircraft engines was also brought in.
Staff were unhappy at the time, with the following backlash leading BA to clarify that crew could still share photos in their uniform, so long as they weren't actively working.
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In April, a British Airways crew member was found dead in a hotel room during a stopover - although it is not clear if the new photo policy is connected to the tragic event.
Concern was raised for Irfan Ali Mirza when the 45-year-old man failed to report for duty on Thursday after staying at the crew hotel in San Francisco, US. He had arrived there on a flight from London Heathrow and had a two-day layover before the return journey.
Hotel managers eventually unlocked Irfan's room where they found the father of three dead on the bed. Police said the responding officers' investigation of the scene "did not discover any evidence of foul play" and the body was taken by the medical examiner.
The BA 284 flight from San Francisco International Airport to London Heathrow due to depart at 4.20pm on Thursday April 17 was cancelled. One Mile At A Time reported that Mr Mirza's fellow crew members were too upset to fly.
BA has been contacted for comment.