Government pays BA to fly to China to bring back 2.5million face masks and gloves - crammed into empty passenger seats - for the UK's frontline health workers

A British Airways crew has flown 2.5million pieces of PPE equipment back to the UK from China in a 28-hour non-stop mercy mission.

Seven pilots and six crew made the trip to pick up the supplies and bring them back to be used by NHS frontline staff amid a nationwide shortage.

Every seat on the Boeing 777 jet was filled with a box of protective masks, gloves and overalls while all the overhead lockers were also packed with supplies including ventilator parts.

BA arranged the flight at the request of the British Government, who paid for the flight as the row over poor planning for PPE rumbled on. 

Frontline NHS workers fighting the coronavirus claim they have been left 'petrified' to treat patients, others had to buy their own PPE from hardware stores.

Alarming pictures have shown nurses wearing homemade gowns from bin bags and curtains.

One NHS hospital boss today even resorted to begging British fashion chains such as Burberry and Barbour to help with the shortage of gowns.

Despite the repeated pleas from medics in every corner of Britain, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has insisted there is enough of the 'precious resource' to go around. 

Care workers fighting a hidden epidemic in care homes and bus and train drivers have also had to beg for PPE during the COVID-19 crisis.

+15

A British Airways crew has flown 2.5 million pieces of PPE equipment back to the UK from China in a 28-hour non-stop mercy mission. First officer Helen Geering, 40, said it was an ‘absolute privilege’ to be able to bring supplies back to the NHS

+15

Seven pilots and six crew made the trip to pick up the supplies and bring them back to be used by NHS frontline staff. In a video posted to social media pilot Andy Goodliffe (above) walked through the packed economy section after ground crew had completed their loading

More than two million masks were loaded into the hold of the BA flight from Shangahi to Heathrow and a further 480,000 were strapped into the economy section.

It is the first time the passenger section of a BA jet has ever been used to transport cargo.   

In a video posted to social media, which has been shared thousands of times, pilot Andy Goodliffe walked through the packed economy section after the ground crew had completed their loading.

He said: 'The whole plane is jammed. 2,000 face masks in each box.’

Opening an overhead locker to show off the load, he added:’ And a thousand in each of these.’ 

First officer Helen Geering, 40, was among those who took part in the 28-hour flight.

She said it was an ‘absolute privilege’ to be able to bring supplies back to the NHS.

Standing in front of seats packed with cardboard boxes she described it as a ‘precious cargo’ that would be given to the people who most need it.

Three pilots flew the jet out to Shanghai on Wednesday while the others rested during the 12-hour flight.

On the return leg the other pilots took over the controls to comply with safety regulations.

Captain Elliot Goodbody flew the final leg of the flight and said he was proud to be part of the British Airways team bringing in 20 tonnes of supplies.

Each of the seats in the economy section of the jet, which can take up to 300 people, had been filled with a box containing masks and other PPE equipment.

Ground crews at Shanghai airport in protective clothing loaded the boxes before netting was placed over the top of the seats to keep them secure during the flight.

+15

BA arranged the flight at the request of the British government as the row over poor planning for PPE rumbled on. Demand for the crucial equipment is so acute that one NHS hospital boss begged British fashion chains such as Burberry and Barbour to help with the shortage

+15

More than two million masks were loaded into the hold of the BA flight from Shangahi to Heathrow and a further 480,000 were strapped into the economy section

+15

It is the first time the passenger section of a BA jet has ever been used to transport cargo

+15

Three pilots flew the jet out to Shanghai on Wednesday while the other rested during the 12-hour flight. On the return leg the other pilots took over the controls to comply with safety regulations

Plastic sheeting had earlier been placed over the seats to protect them during the flight.

Only the business class section where the crew sat was not full of PPE equipment, which will be distributed to hospitals across the UK. 

NHS staff on the coronavirus frontline are being told to reuse personal protective equipment as the 'last resort', a staggering leaked report revealed on Wednesday.

The document from Public Health England said the safe reuse of items was under consideration, under plans to tackle shortages of PPE, according to the BBC.

Emails seen by the locum GP and freelance BBC reporter, Dr Faye Kirkland have also revealed that some hospitals have started to wash single-use gowns so that they can be worn again, in a bid to preserve stocks. 

Earlier this week it was revealed the UK had missed three chances to participate in an EU scheme to buy huge quantities of PPE.

The EU ordered €1.5billion (£1.3billion) worth of masks, gowns and gloves for doctors and nurses – but Britain did not take part in talks about the purchases.

Some 25 European countries and eight companies were involved in the joint PPE procurement scheme, The Guardian reported.  

+15

Nurses have been pictured in hospitals using clinical waste bags as PPE

+15

Dr Alan Courtney has urged the government to give more PPE to NHS staff

+15

Images of Motocross goggles, pictured, which an NHS doctor paid £90 for to protect his team on the coronavirus frontline, sparked outrage on social media

However, the UK did not take part in any of the three rounds of bulk-buying which were first launched by the EU in February.

The Government has previously said it was unable to join the EU's procurement schemes as it had not received an email of invitation. 

Last week the Health Secretary told NHS medics to only use the protective equipment they need because it is a 'precious resource'.

Addressing the nationwide shortage that has left nurses 'petrified' to fight the crisis, Mr Hancock claimed: 'There is enough PPE to go around.'

But he added that the supply of masks, aprons and gloves would only stretch across the UK's healthcare workforce if it is 'used in line with our guidance'.

Guidelines now say medics no longer need to change PPE between patients, instead wearing the same gear for longer spells - called 'sessions'.

In the Downing Street conference, Mr Hancock admitted Number 10 was struggling to source additional PPE to help NHS workers fight Britain's crisis.