British Airways Tightens Rules on Meta Smart Glasses

British Airways is updating its filming policies to target passengers using Meta smart glasses to secretly record employees and other travelers, according to reporting from Paddle Your Own Kanoo via Live and Let Fly.

While the airline is not prohibiting the wearing of the glasses, it is cracking down on the use of built-in cameras for discreet recording. This move follows restrictions implemented earlier this year that banned the photographing or livestreaming of BA employees without their consent.

Under Section 7a10 and Section 11a of British Airways’s General Conditions of Carriage, the airline maintains broad authority to penalize passengers who record staff without permission. According to Live and Let Fly, BA can intervene to stop the behavior and, upon landing, remove the passenger from the aircraft. This authority extends to refusing transportation for the remainder of the passenger's ticket, which may include a previously booked return journey. In cases where a criminal offense is suspected, the airline may also report the incident to authorities for prosecution.

Live and Let Fly notes that while the official conditions do not explicitly name Meta glasses, the update specifically addresses the use of these devices to bypass traditional filming rules. The report highlights a tension between privacy concerns and the potential for such restrictions to prevent passengers from documenting legitimate problems or poor treatment by staff.