A BRITISH Airways steward on his first day mistakenly activated the emergency slide as the jet taxied — costing the airline £50,000.
He was making his debut flight on a Boeing 777 when he accidentally opened an emergency door.
Emergency services rushed to surround Flight BA75 to Lagos, Nigeria, before they realised it was not being evacuated.
The plane had just pushed back from the stand at Heathrow and was moments from take-off last Friday when disaster struck.
Stunned passengers were then told they faced a four-hour wait.
Engineers were called to lift the rubber emergency slide from the tarmac — but the plane required a new one.
A substitute jet completed the journey with the same crew — minus the rookie, who was immediately replaced.
The mortified steward — who The Sun has agreed not to name — was “stood down” from all duties by irate BA bosses and ordered back to training.
The bungle cost the airline at least £50,000 after missing its take-off slot, ordering a new slide and switching aircraft.
One insider said of the blunder: “It’s inexplicable that this could happen.”
BA said it apologised to customers, gave them refreshment vouchers and arranged for a replacement plane.
Last night, a crew member shared a photo of some of the weary BA flyers who had just returned from the epic trip.
The online message, hinting at further adventures on their long-haul saga, said, '1 blown slide, 1 NITS briefing, 1 diversion, 2 nights in Lagos, and a very TIRED crew."
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