LONDON — A British Airways flight from San Francisco to London turned chaotic when a male crew member was discovered dancing naked inside a business class toilet mid-flight, prompting police intervention upon landing and leaving fellow staff to manage without rest.
The shocking incident occurred while the flight was cruising at 37,000 feet over the Atlantic, with approximately 470 passengers and crew on board the double-decker Airbus A380-800 bound for Heathrow Airport. The steward was reportedly meant to be serving in-flight meals in Club World — British Airways’ premium business class section — when he disappeared.
Concerned colleagues launched a search when the steward failed to appear during one of the flight’s busiest service periods. The in-flight service manager ultimately discovered him completely naked, energetically dancing in the lavatory located in the Club World cabin.
“He was jigging up and down like he was at a party — not at 30,000 feet while on duty,” a fellow crew member told British media.
The man was quickly wrapped in a pair of First Class pyjamas and relocated to an available First Class seat, where he remained buckled in for the remainder of the 10.5-hour flight. He was said to be non-violent but incoherent, prompting both medical and police responses upon landing.
The flight landed at 11 a.m. last Sunday, where Metropolitan Police officers boarded the aircraft and arrested the steward. He was taken from the plane in a wheelchair, reportedly still under the influence and receiving medical attention.
British Airways later confirmed that the steward had been suspended from duty as an internal investigation proceeds. The airline stated, “It is a police matter,” declining to elaborate further.
Fellow crew members expressed anger over the incident, having to cover the full transatlantic flight without breaks to make up for the steward’s absence.
“We think the guy popped pills when he was meant to be working,” one BA worker told reporters. “Rather than asking passengers ‘chicken or beef,’ he was stripping off and dancing in the toilet.”
The employee added, “Not only is it really dangerous, it’s a crazy way to end your BA career. This job can do ridiculous things to people, but staging a one-man disco in a Club World toilet is a new one on me.”
The scandal has sparked renewed scrutiny over crew conduct and in-flight substance abuse policies, especially on long-haul international flights. Though incidents involving passenger disruptions are relatively common, such behavior from a uniformed crew member is considered rare and highly serious.
Authorities, including Scotland Yard, have not yet issued a public statement, but the steward’s continued employment with British Airways remains uncertain pending the outcome of the investigation.
