By Samantha Jones-
A British Airways pilot, Mike Beaton, has been dismissed from his position following allegations that he snorted cocaine off a topless woman before a scheduled flight.
The married pilot reportedly bragged about his drug use to a cabin crew member, leading to the cancellation of the long-haul flight from South Africa to London.
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He was reported to bosses by the stewardess friend he trusted with the information, and was subsequently sacked after being drug tested.
The scandal unfolded when Beaton allegedly sent a text message boasting about the incident to a friend after meeting four other tourists at a nightclub in Johannesburg during his layover.
In the text message, he recounted the night, revealing that he had met two local men, a female Welsh tourist, and a “young Spanish bird” at the club. Subsequently, the pilot tested positive for the Class A drug.
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According to details disclosed in the text message, the night began innocently with drinks at the hotel bar, where romantic connections were forming between the group. Beaton described the events, saying, “Welsh and one of these guys is getting on very well, but she’s told him that I’m her boyfriend.”
The group ended up at one of the local men’s flats. Beaton continued his narrative, stating, “Couple of drinks in the bar, bit of snogging, and then we’re somehow all on our way to this dude’s flat.
Welsh has decided that I should actually be her boyfriend — Spanish has hooked up with one of the two local lads and is having her t**s sucked on their sofa.”
Beaton’s text message provided explicit details about the night, revealing that he and another tourist danced topless before indulging in cocaine.
He mentioned losing his shirt in the process and described the moment when cocaine was presented.
He allegedly stated, “I’ve lost my shirt somewhere, and one of the local lads produces a plate with a few lines of coke. So then there’s a debate about whose chest is the best to do a bump off.” He concluded, “That’s the story of how I ended up snorting coke off a girl’s t**s in Joburg.”
The pilot also admitted in the text message that he was so exhausted the following day that he couldn’t get up until 2 pm.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has also taken action, revoking Beaton’s medical certificate, which effectively prohibits him from flying.
A CAA spokesperson explained their stance, saying, “An airline must immediately inform us if a UK pilot has misused drink or drugs boarding, or being on board, an aircraft.
In these cases, we would immediately suspend the pilot’s medical, which means they cannot fly. In most cases, the pilot would have an assessment with an expert medical team, and if they wished to return to flying, then a comprehensive rehabilitation program would be put in place.
At the end of that process, the medical would only be reinstated if we were completely satisfied.”
Statistics indicate that such cases, while relatively rare, have been on the rise in recent years, prompting airlines and aviation authorities to take swift and strict measures to maintain the safety and integrity of the aviation industry.
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