Drug Bust Halts British Airways Flight BA2202 in Cancun
ID 143062202 © Tom Samworth | Dreamstime.com
A British Airways transatlantic flight from Cancun (CUN) to London Gatwick (LGW) was abruptly canceled on April 8, 2025, after Mexican authorities conducted an extensive drug search onboard the aircraft. The flight, designated BA2202, was scheduled to depart at 8:00 PM local time and was to be operated by a Boeing 777-200ER, registration G-YMME.
Onboard Disruption and Law Enforcement Response
The initial delay began when the inbound aircraft arrived late, pushing the planned departure to 9:40 PM. By 9:00 PM, the flight crew had boarded the aircraft, and passengers requiring additional boarding time were invited to board soon after. Boarding was then unexpectedly paused, with an announcement that updates would follow in 10 minutes. However, passengers reported receiving no new information for several hours.
At approximately 10:20 PM, law enforcement personnel — including officers with sniffer dogs — were observed on the ramp actively searching luggage and retrieving packages resembling compressed bricks of narcotics. Eyewitnesses, including a passenger who shared details on Reddit, described law enforcement handling and inspecting the materials and noted that sample testing may have occurred onsite.
Unofficial passenger accounts also alleged that two British Airways flight attendants were detained by authorities during the operation, though this has not been confirmed by either the airline or government officials.
Flight Cancellation and Passenger Rebooking
After more than four hours of delay, British Airways representatives informed passengers at approximately 12:45 AM that the flight was officially canceled due to the ongoing investigation. Travelers were told the aircraft could remain under government custody for several days, with no clear estimate on when they would be able to depart. At the time, British Airways had not confirmed whether passengers would be rerouted or when a replacement flight might be available.
All passengers were required to disembark, collect their baggage, and re-clear immigration. Hotel accommodations were arranged, but reports indicated that some passengers were not checked in until as late as 5:30 AM due to long wait times at area hotels.
Replacement Flight and Aircraft Clearance
The aircraft was released the following day and assigned a new flight number, BA9603, departing Cancun on April 9, 2025, at 10:13 PM local time. The Boeing 777-200ER completed the 8-hour, 34-minute flight to London Gatwick (LGW), landing at 12:47 PM on April 10.
British Airways issued a formal apology to affected passengers, stating:
“We apologize to customers for the overnight delay to their flight to London Gatwick due to circumstances entirely out of our control.”
The airline has not commented on the specifics of the investigation or the contents recovered from the aircraft, and it remains unclear whether the narcotics were found in cargo, passenger luggage, or elsewhere onboard.
Bottom Line
British Airways flight BA2202 from Cancun to London Gatwick was canceled on April 8, 2025, after law enforcement executed a drug search on the aircraft while passengers were in the process of boarding. The situation resulted in a 24-hour delay, with the flight ultimately departing the following day under a different flight number. Though reports suggest possible crew involvement, no official confirmation has been provided. The incident is a rare example of a transatlantic drug bust disrupting commercial air travel and raises important questions about onboard security and smuggling vulnerabilities.
