Women 'treated like rock stars' after finding themselves alone on British Airways flight

Three friends enjoy unlimited champagne, three-course meal and celebrity treatment during 'once-in-a-lifetime experience'

The friends were on their way home from Gibraltar after a three-day trip

Three British women were treated “like A-list celebrities” after finding themselves the only passengers on a British Airways flight meant for 150 people.

Laura Stevens, 34, Sarah Hunt, 35, and Laurie-Lin Waller, 33, drank champagne and took selfies in the cockpit after being upgraded to business class when they turned out to be travelling alone on a flight from Gibraltar to London Heathrow.

The friends were on their way back to the UK after a three-day break but found their flight delayed by three hours. Having found out about the delay online, they decided to go to the airport late in order to make the most of their time abroad.

On arrival, they were told the other passengers from their plane had all been squeezed onto an earlier flight – leaving the trio as the only travellers on the 150-seat plane.

The friends were allowed to sit in business class and given top-range hospitality by airline staff, despite only having paid £80 for an economy seat.

Ms Stevens, a television producer, said they “felt like A-listers” after being treated to a three-course meal and unlimited champagne.

She said: “It was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience that we'll never forget.

“We felt like celebrities, especially when we were given champagne – it was the best Christmas present ever, we couldn't believe how kind and lovely everyone was.

“We were the only people in the departure lounge so staff let us use the executive suite, which is usually reserved for business flight passengers. The captain even let them take selfies in the cockpit flight after announcing he had never flown such an empty flight.

British Airways upgraded the friends to business class after realising they were the only passengers on the flight

British Airways staff also opened up airport shops so the friends could do some Christmas shopping for friends and family.

Ms Stevens said: “It was as though we'd hired out the place just for us.

“The celebrity treatment continued on board when we were given front row seats and a private safety talk.

“The plane took off really quickly because it was so light, it felt like we were on a private jet.

“The cabin crew were laughing and even the pilot made an announcement stating he'd never flown a commercial flight with so few people.”

The women got through ten small bottles of champagne during the 2.5-hour flight

The trio got through 10 mini-bottles of Champagne during the two-and-a-half hour flight and said they were pleased when fog delays prolonged their time on board.

Ms Stevens said: “We put on our shades and had a great time partying on board. We joked about being a girl band and took videos of us strolling up and down the aisles.

“Cabin crew warned us that the fog meant it could take a while to land but we were having such a fantastic time we told them to take their time - we wanted the flight to go on forever.”

“People pay thousands for the kind of experience we had but we got it all for the cost of an economy ticket - it was a real one-off.”