A boom in the numbers of insects during Covid, particularly bees and wasps, caused problems at Heathrow last summer, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has concluded, with nests being constructed inside tubes that measure air speed and other flight data.
Seven BA aircraft, plus one from Virgin Atlantic, were affected by blocked ‘pitot’ tubes as a result of them being parked for extended periods during the pandemic. The incidents happened in June and July last year, with most being resolved before flights reached the runway.
