EXCLUSIVE The captain, who has not been named, had piloted a British Airways 777 jet flight from Gatwick last Tuesday.

British Airways pilots have opted to take a 50 per cent pay cut in April and May as the company fights for its survival amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

The UK Government is drawing up plans to buy shares in British Airways and other airlines hit by the Pandemic Crisis to keep them afloat, insiders confirmed (pictured, Grant Shapps).

Easyjet and Virgin Airlines have also been pounded by global travel bans, and BA is reportedly burning £200million each week as 75 per cent of its fleet is grounded.

Flatlining footfall could see UK airports shut within weeks, with plummeting passenger numbers forcing airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair to ground their whole fleet.

An investigation by Which? found that carriers including British Airways, Ryanair and easyJet are refusing to let passengers cancel and claim a refund on flights which are still scheduled to run.

Alice Percival, 26,was shocked to discover upon boarding her American Airlines flight from Miami to London on Saturday that social distancing measures were not taking place.

Madrid-based International Airlines Group proposed a dividend of around 17p per share in February, when the ravages of the killer virus on society and the global economy were already apparent.

Furious Twitter users called on the British retail mogul to sell one of his three yachts, which includes the £122million Lionheart, or use some of his estimated £1.8billion fortune.

Airlines including British Airways and EasyJet are selling tickets for flights in May despite health officials warnings a global lockdown could last for months (stock photo of a woman on a beach).

Every week Holiday Hero Neil Simpson takes an in-depth look at a brilliant holiday topic, doing all the legwork so you don't have to. This week, he reveals how to earn air miles without leaving home.

BA pilot Peter Login was saluted for his temporary change of career as he ditched Boeing 747s for a Mercedes Sprinter to drop off food to Britons in coronavirus lockdown.

The animals were cared for by highly-trained staff and animal handlers while on board the British Airways 747 cargo flight from Larnaca to London Heathrow.

Ian Johnson (pictured), a cabin service director in his late 50s, was in St Thomas' intensive care unit in London on a ventilator for ten days before he passed away yesterday.

British Airways is set to move its Airbus A380 aircraft to France's Chateauroux Centre Marcel Dassault Airport as the company tries to reduce its operations amid the coronavirus pandemic.

With the Government now advising British nationals to avoid all non-essential journeys 'for an indefinite period', here's the latest information for air travellers caught up in the chaos.

The six-month-old Airbus A350 was reversing from the gate, about to take off on a return flight to London, when it smashed into the Emirates Boeing 777 that was parked behind it.

Freshways - the 'largest independent family-run' milk processor in the country - has written to diary farmers telling them they plan to cut rates on 40 per cent of their produce.

The former Love Island star, 27, worked as an air hostess for the company prior to finding fame on the ITV2 reality series.

The beleaguered carrier has reportedly asked staff to sign contracts that would allow the airline to fire them without negotiation. It has also warned it could withdraw from major UK airports.

Bartek Wytryszczewski (left), a Polish BA cabin crew member, said he was discriminated against because of his sexuality, nationality and because he raised safety concerns at his Heathrow-based job.

The Boeing 777 and 787 will be out of action for months after the incident at London's Heathrow on Sunday, which has led to claims of 'sabotage'. But British Airways have said it is due to a technical fault.

Amazingly, this is the first exhibition of Aubrey Beardsley's work at the Tate since 1923.

Evidence of Egyptian pharaoh Queen Hatshepsut's alleged affair with a local is hinted at in hidden wall carvings in C5 documentary: The Nile: Egypt's Great River With Bettany Hughes.

The happy couple, currently in the Egyptian capital for Katy's 35th birthday, enjoyed an obligatory camel ride through the Western Desert, a stones-throw from the Giza Necropolis.

Tony Camoccio, 51, was slung into the notorious Police Station One Hurghada jail after the official accused him of sexual assault, as he headed home from a family holiday.

Martine Vik Magnussen was killed in 2008. She was last seen with Farouk Abdulhak. By time Miss Vik Magnussen's remains were found Abdulhak had fled to Yemen.

Lara Logan has spoken about her brutal sex assault in Egypt in 2011. She was reporting from Cairo when a mob of hundreds stripped and violated her.

Indian businessman Pankaj Oswal claims the Institut Le Rosey, an exclusive Swiss school that charges annual fees of £100,000, failed to adequately protect his daughter.

Pankaj and Radhika Oswal claim the Institut Le Rosey, an exclusive Swiss school with annual fees of $200,000, failed to adequately protect their daughter, 15.

ALEXANDRA SHULMAN:One set of my grandparents fled the Ukrainian pogroms early last century to build a life in Toronto, starting with nothing.

ALEXANDRA SHULMAN: Paying attention to our appearance as the world falls apart isn't shallow - it fulfils a deep-seated psychological need.

On Wednesday, the Grammy-nominated artist Jordin Sparks, now 29, showed up in New York City on her way into the Build Talk Series at AOL to discuss National Waterpark Day.

Legendary 'shock jock'/former America's Got Talent judge Howard Stern has accused Simon Cowell of unfairly treating the show's female judges.

Labour MP Zarah Sultana, who is standing for Coventry South, used the 'extremistmuslim' hashtag and said 'try to stop me when the likes of Blair, Netanyahu and Bush die' in 2015.

Emily Maitlis was spotted out in London today taking her son to Wagamama. She said there was 'no question' Prince Andrew did not address in her interview, due to air on BBC2 at 9pm.

Palestinian militants, Islamic Jihad, fired two rockets into southern Israel from Gaza today and the Israeli military responded by hitting a number of Hamas outposts.

Netanyahu told ministers during a Monday meeting that Israel should 'stay out of' any conflict sparked by the killing of General Qassem Soleimani because 'it is a US event, not an Israeli event.'

Gal Gadot shows she's a mere mortal human as she gasps for air during a rigorous hike with husband Yaron Varsano and their pet pooch in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

An Airbus A320 with 172 passengers on board made an emergency landing in Russia-controlled Khmeimim air base after Syrian air defence nearly hit it, Russian state news said.

Los Angeles County officials are awaiting confirmation that a Korean Air flight attendant diagnosed with the coronavirus may have serviced a flight to Los Angeles last week.

Lady Kitty Spencer, 29, looked stylish as she stepped out with Michael Lewis, 60, in New York. The pair who began dating last spring appeared in good spirits, amid the dreary weather.

London-born Kitty is set to demonstrate her commitment to father-of-three Michael Lewis by converting to his Jewish faith ahead of their marriage, according to The Sunday Times.

Lady Kitty Spencer, 29, was wearing her her 30 carat diamond engagement ring worth an estimated £300,000 as she left a Milan hotel with her multi-millionaire fiance Michael Lewis, 61.

Princess Diana's former butler has revealed how she almost didn't attend a 1994 Vanity Fair party as it came soon after Prince Charles spoke out about his affair.

RICHARD KAY: So much about Harry is reminiscent of Diana. The palpable way he connects with people is uncannily like that of his mother.

On July 14 the attention of the golfing world turns to Northern Ireland as the country hosts the Open. On a four-day trip Peter McKay found the people charming and the courses a spectacular challenge.

The former footballer, 44, took to Instagram and shared a video of the pair doing 50 bicycle crunches together before they tried and failed to high-five each other.

Seeming to take inspiration from back when David had his hair styled into braids, Romeo Beckham, 17, was seen showing off a very similar look as he changed up his 'do during lockdown

The 36-year-old Avengers: Endgame star cut a relaxed figure as he made his way to the autograph signing