British Airways A350 returns to London after Barbados ground accident

A British Airways Airbus A350-1000, registration G-XWBK, has returned to London Heathrow after being grounded in Barbados for nine days. The aircraft was immobilized following an accident involving a ground vehicle.

The incident occurred after the aircraft arrived in Bridgetown on August 18. Reports indicate that a vehicle operated by GCG Group struck the aircraft, with images suggesting the impact punctured the composite fuselage near a passenger door.

While British Airways and the ground handling company have not released specific details regarding the extent of the damage, the accident caused several flight disruptions, including the cancellation of scheduled services between Heathrow and Austin. To manage passenger transport during the grounding, British Airways deployed a replacement A350-1000 to the Barbados route.