The flight, from Heathrow Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport, was turned around after less than an hour in the air.
Both pilots were licensed to fly the plane, but the captain did not have trainer status.
“The qualified first officer, who was flying alongside an experienced captain, was replaced with a new pilot to ensure full compliance with Virgin Atlantic’s training protocols, which exceed industry standards,” the spokesperson said. “We apologize for any inconvenience caused to our customers who arrived 2 hours 40 minutes later than scheduled as a result of the crew change,” the spokesperson said.
A spokesperson with the Civil Aviation Authority said that Virgin Atlantic “made us aware of the incident.”This story first appeared on
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