Mystery as British Airways crew member found dead in hotel bed on stop over in San Francisco

A BRITISH Airways crew member was found dead in his hotel bed on a stopover between flights.

His colleagues raised the alarm when he did not report for duty on a flight back to the UK from San Francisco.

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They were taken by hotel managers to his room where he may have lain dead for two days.

The crew was said to be too upset to continue with the flight to Heathrow.

It was cancelled at the last minute, disrupting travel plans for up to 850 passengers.

A source told The Sun: “There was no way the flight back from San Francisco could go ahead. Staff were in absolute bits at the sudden loss of their friend.”

Airline bosses are trying to unravel the mystery of the young crew member’s death.

He checked in at the crew’s £150-a-night Marriott Marquis hotel on Tuesday after working a flight from Heathrow.

But he failed to report for Thursday’s return flight.

Pilots left for the airport without him while cabin crew and in-flight managers waited for him in reception.

They raised the alarm with hotel staff when he did not answer his phone.

After the steward was found dead, pilots returned to support their colleagues.

But flight BA284, on an Airbus A380-800, was cancelled although passengers were not told why.

They were given hotel rooms while BA staff tried to get them on other flights.

The source told The Sun: “The steward was a popular member of the team and this came as a bolt from the blue.

“The grim reality is that he may have been dead in his bed for some time.”

BA said: “Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of our colleague at this difficult time.”