An EasyJet captain has been suspended after he was reportedly seen walking naked through a luxury hotel in Cape Verde, following what witnesses described as a heavy drinking session.
The incident is said to have taken place in the early hours of 5 August at the Melia Dunas Beach Resort and Spa, a five-star complex on the island of Sal. Guests told reporters they saw the pilot, who has not been named, without clothes in the reception area before wandering towards the gym and spa.
“He didn’t have a stitch on and smelled strongly of alcohol,” a source within the airline told The Sun, which first reported the story.
According to the paper, the pilot had arrived the previous day and began drinking soon after checking in. Witnesses claimed he stayed in the hotel bar late into the night before stripping off around 2:30 a.m. local time.
He was due to fly passengers back to London Gatwick more than 36 hours later, on the afternoon of 6 August. However, EasyJet grounded him after receiving complaints, arranging for another captain to take the 4,318km return flight.
An EasyJet spokesperson confirmed the suspension, saying: “As soon as we were made aware, the pilot was immediately stood down from duty, in line with our procedures, pending an investigation. The safety of our passengers and crew is EasyJet’s highest priority.”
The airline’s code of business ethics states that staff are expected to “behave with integrity” in their dealings with colleagues, customers, and the communities in which they operate.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the airline has not commented further on the pilot’s future with the company.
About the Author
