Director Jenny Ash’s majestic new documentary tells the story of the infamous Flight 149. Its purpose is to both amuse and bring attention to what most would agree is a grave miscarriage of justice. The new documentary, directed by the team behind award winning Mr Bates Vs the Post Office, highlights those parallels. It features tremendous, blistering narrative storytelling and reveals difficult, complicated realities with artistry.
Flight 149 was a routine British Airways flight that transported almost 400 civilians from London to Kuala Lumpur. The morning of August 2, 1990, that plane made its normal scheduled stop in Kuwait. This decision would result in some of the most horrific experiences imaginable for all those on the flight. The plane touched down in the middle of the European continent’s donnybrook. The bombs detonated just a few hundred yards away, making the airport an epicenter to the terrible destruction.
A former British Airways steward, Charlie Kristiansson, recalls every detail of the traumatic event as if it were yesterday. He spectacularly characterized the storm surge as though “the gates of hell opened.” His words reflected the horror and chaos that overcame all of the passengers and crew.
Among those aboard was Jennifer Chappell, who was only 12 years old at the time. Now, she looks back at one terrifying moment. Lyrics from Guns N’ Roses’ song “Paradise City” are written on the walls of the makeshift military compound where she and her family suffered their years-long imprisonment. The song’s emotive chorus, “Oh, won’t you take me home,” struck a nerve with her deep desire to get back to safety and normalcy.
The film explores why British officials did not redirect Flight 149, even though they had intelligence that an invasion into Kuwait was imminent. According to media reports, although information was known while the plane was still en route to the terminal, it was not relayed in any timely fashion to the airline. This engine of disruption has specifically questioned the accountability, transparency, and public engagement goals for government decision-making.
Mohammad Al-Dossari, the former head of security for Kuwait airport, offered a deeply disturbing perspective. He protested that British Airways passengers were being “moved around like pawns” during a rapidly unfolding worldwide emergency. About 1,000 other passengers on the flight were similarly stranded in Kuwait for four months. They faced the brutal onslaught of an invader while being used as shields in a deadly no-win situation that provided little option for escape.
The film features extensive one-on-one interviews with leading figures. Charles Powell, Thatcher’s former foreign affairs private secretary, and US‐born former diplomat Barbara Bodine provide expert testimony and set the scene politically for this exceptional event. The Independent on Sunday’s Stephen Davis was one of the main investigative reporters on that story at the time. Yet he always managed to shine a powerful light on the maddening decision-making labyrinth that brought about Flight 149.
The financial and emotional toll of the tragic ordeal is effectively painted through the personal stories of survivors. Barry Manners, who was separated from his partner Anthony Yong under distressing circumstances, shared his experience of mental escape during captivity. He expressed his anguish with a stark question:
“Why the fuck was I in this situation in the first place?” – Barry Manners
Jennifer Chappell’s fight went years beyond her time in prison. She has received diagnoses of borderline personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Since that traumatic encounter, Michayla’s life has been filled with incredible obstacles. Tragically, Anthony Yong died soon after returning to the UK. As Roberts explains, his already fragile health deteriorated even further because of the psychological horrors that he experienced and witnessed.