EasyJet has suspended one of its captains after he was reportedly photographed inebriated and naked in a luxury hotel. According to the Sun, the anonymous pilot was seen roaming through common areas of a five-star resort in Cape Verde without clothing on in the early hours of the morning on August 5th, following an extended drinking binge at a bar. He was scheduled to fly back to Gatwick more than 36 hours later, but was grounded after the budget airline received complaints about the event and hired a substitute pilot. An EasyJet representative stated that the pilot is now under investigation and that the safety of passengers and crew is the company’s “highest priority”.
On August 4, the captain landed at the Melia Dunas Beach Resort and Spa in the West African island nation and immediately began drinking, according to the Sun. According to the publication, hotel guests saw him strip naked and go into reception around 02:30 local time (04:30 BST) the next morning before heading to the gym and spa. “The pilot did not have a stitch on and reeked of alcohol,” an unidentified insider inside the airline told the newspaper. “Anyone who saw the pilot cavorting naked in the early hours on the day before a flight would not dream of getting on a plane with him at the controls.”
He was supposed to fly the 2,332-nautical-mile (4,318-kilometer) trip back to Gatwick on the afternoon of August 6, but he was withdrawn from the flight. A spokesperson for EasyJet responded: “As soon as we were made aware, the pilot was immediately stood down from duty, in line with our procedures, pending an investigation.” EasyJet prioritises the safety of its passengers and workers. The airline’s code of business ethics requires employees to act with integrity towards their colleagues, customers, partners, and communities.
English