We often hear of passengers behaving poorly on flights, but it’s rare to hear of this kind of behavior from a member of the crew…
In this post:
British Airways flight attendant suspected of inflight drug binge
This incident happened on Saturday, May 24, 2025, and involves British Airways flight BA284, operating as an Airbus A380 service from San Francisco (SFO) to London (LHR).
During the dinner service after takeoff, one of the flight attendants reportedly went missing onboard. So the crew searched the jet, and found him naked and dancing in one of the Club World (business class) lavatories.
The crew suspected that he was on drugs, so he was relieved of his duties for the rest of the flight. He was told to put on some first class pajamas, and was placed in an empty first class seat for the rest of the 10+ hour journey.
The crew alerted the company of what had happened, and the police were called to meet the flight. The flight attendant was then reportedly removed from the airport in a wheelchair. He received medical attention, and was then arrested. He has been suspended of his duties, pending an investigation. British Airways has refused to comment beyond that, stating that it’s a police matter.
The crew suspected that the flight attendant had either taken drugs before the flight or during the flight, since obviously this behavior was way off.
What a shocking story, but I guess it’s bound to happen
We often hear of awful and disruptive passenger behavior, typically caused by people being under the influence of something (drugs or alcohol). It’s exceedingly rare to see an on duty crew member acting this way, for obvious reasons — it’s a career ender.
With the number of flight attendants around the globe, there will of course be some bad apples that act this way, and that’s a shame. If the facts are as they seem, I hope this person gets the help they need, and is punished so that they’re not put in a position where they can act this way again.
To be clear, I don’t think some recreational drug use is necessarily that bad, in theory (though flight attendants are supposed to be drug free). However, once it impacts your ability to perform your job in this way, it becomes a real issue. It’s one thing if he did this before a flight and then made the decision not to fly, realizing he had messed up. But to take drugs and continue with your duties… that’s a massive problem.
I’d add the caveat that I suppose there’s a possibility that he was unknowingly drugged at some point, and that caused the behavior. I’m sure an investigation will reveal the full details.
Bottom line
While inappropriate passenger behavior is nothing new, it’s rare that you see a flight attendant be the person who is under the influence and causing problems on a flight. That’s what happened on a recent British Airways flight, where a flight attendant reportedly went missing, only to be found in the lavatory, dancing naked.
The flight attendant was removed from duties for the rest of the flight, and arrested upon landing. He has now been suspended pending an investigation (which I can’t imagine will end well for him, unless he was somehow unknowingly drugged).
What do you make of this British Airways inflight “party?”
More degenerate behavior coming out of San Francisco. Not surprise there.
Definitely something in the water in San Francisco...Didn't a BA flight attendant just die at the hotel in SFO? It was an alleged tranzgendr love triangle gone wrong. Now this guy on drugs....
Although, many drugs users, see nothing wrong with drugs use, drugs have to be eliminated from work places and places of business.
"Would you be ok with your surgeon have a glass of wine on Friday night before a Monday surgery? Because I drink with quite a few surgeons who are very successful at their job. Turns out, recreational drinking isn’t an issue so long as it doesn’t affect your job. Now re-read Lucky’s comment."
But if a surgeon gets arrested for DUI when off duty, he will have his license reviewed in most of the US.
Maybe this flight was to Mexico City and this flight attendant was preparing in advance.
"Nudists march in Mexico City to celebrate body positivity"
Its better than fights on flights.
Should mention in the title it was a "he" so i dont waste my time reading it.
The title is misleading. You say that he was dancing naked on the flight. True, but it was in the lavatory... Should he have been suspended during the flight and possibly after, but I think arrest may be pushing it. It is not like he exposed himself dancing naked throughout the plane.
I presume the arrest is for suspected drug use and being unable to carry out his duties and therefore a flight safety risk which likely breaks multiple laws.
Maybe he had some more drugs in his uniform and this is why he was arrested?
So I assume it was not a BA line dance in bathroom you can barely turn round in
It is Sunday so I am goofing around on my PC. This story gave me a little giggle when I saw the headline. It was not what I had pictured. I thought a female attendant was had won the lottery, or had imbibed too many little alcohol bottles, and was doing a striptease in the aisles. Oy, my imagination was way off. I feel bad for the male attendant. Made a bad choice or stressed...
It is Sunday so I am goofing around on my PC. This story gave me a little giggle when I saw the headline. It was not what I had pictured. I thought a female attendant was had won the lottery, or had imbibed too many little alcohol bottles, and was doing a striptease in the aisles. Oy, my imagination was way off. I feel bad for the male attendant. Made a bad choice or stressed out about something? I haven't done any air travelling since 2010 and I am glad I do not have to do so these days. Passengers and crews all seemed stressed out.
Can't wait for them to find a pilot dancing naked in the cockpit.
Is perhaps someone misinterpreting a corrective posture for 'loosening a solid turd' as dancing?
Must have been some good gear to make someone want to dance on a BA A380.
It might have been somewhat less offensive if it had been a very shapely female doing the dancing (in-flight entertainment !!)
I feel crazy to see the flight attendant being naked and dancing in the lavator.
Curious how no one is considering psychosis as a possibility
Pot usage does seem to create a known and elevated risk of psychosis and psychotic breaks in later life if I recall the study correctly.
Oh honey, you probably think Reefer Madness was a documentary?
What he said was completely true!
Definitely not your honey, tootz.
Eating cannabis gummies also increase the risk of heart disease is another study by the way.
As I said before enablers enable.
So they were able to continue the flight short handed by one FA? Did the FAA carve out an exception for FAs who are on drugs on the flight?
Yes.
remember this is British Airways.... CAA UK, possibly different staffing models
A lot of BA flights feel like theres no FA's on the plane for most of the flight anyway, so they probably managed fine.
"He was told to put on some first class pajamas, and was placed in an empty first class seat for the rest of the 10+ hour journey."
So that's how to score a free upgrade to First!
Average Brit on Easyjet flight to Spain type of behavior
Or right-wing Herman-the-German flying Eurowings perhaps?
Huh
The BA apologist AeroB13a is probably on a drug binge now. Awfully quiet for UK Sunday evening.
So as not to disappoint you bro, here I am, fighting fit and completely substance free.
For your information Eskimo, one does have a life beyond ignoramous baiting. However, while I’m on target …. The 17th of June is when the SkyTrax 2025, World Rankings will be announced at the Paris Air Show, don’t you know? At that time we will all see how well or not BA are rated.
"The 17th of June is when the SkyTrax 2025..."
Dude. You cited Skytrax unironically. There goes your street cred.
Never cite Skytrax, ever, if you want to be taken seriously. Truly. They gave LH a 20-star rating just for announcing the Allegris seats back in the twenty teens.
So Willy, because the data is not collected and collated by a U.S. agency it’s not valid?
Rather ironic how SkyTrax and CNT (US publication) are broadly in agreement …. seemingly your street cred is rather suspect, yes? …. :)-
“ seemingly your street cred is rather suspect, yes? …. :)-”
Oh, I’ll cop to never having either a lick of street cred or a lick of class! :)
Thank you for the grin Willy …. :-)
"To be clear, I don’t think some recreational drug use is necessarily that bad, in theory ...." did you really write this? You're condoning drug use. Sounds like you use some drugs. Very poor comment and should be removed.
Lordy! Lordy, lord M’Lynn!
With the amount of pearl clutching re:recreational drugs I hope everyone’s nails are trimmed. More importantly that those nails are clean, much like I’m sure all your lives are. And for the special reader that inferred Ben is peddling a drug lifestyle so as not alienate readers… don’t forget a steak-free shine on your glass house!
This could be an example of poor decision making, addictive behaviour, or just an unfortunate...
Lordy! Lordy, lord M’Lynn!
With the amount of pearl clutching re:recreational drugs I hope everyone’s nails are trimmed. More importantly that those nails are clean, much like I’m sure all your lives are. And for the special reader that inferred Ben is peddling a drug lifestyle so as not alienate readers… don’t forget a steak-free shine on your glass house!
This could be an example of poor decision making, addictive behaviour, or just an unfortunate mixup between an antihistamine and something more potent. It is also an example of the system working: the threat was noticed, found. neutralized, and now there will be consequences.
Maybe with some compassion this guy’s life doesn’t need to come to complete ruin.
Funny how this is kept quiet for a whole week, but if it was a passenger we would ov heard about the next day. Two standard here.
@Ben
Your version of the story is a little different that what's been widely reported.
The flight attendant was dancing naked. When the other crew found him i his birthday suit they dressed him up in spare first class pyjamas and sat him in an empty first class seat. He didn't have the pyjamas on him. Also wouldn't make much sense as he was having fun dancin' to the moon.
Can't we just use more neutral words than "drugs"? That term is loaded and shifts with public sentiment, while substance is probably a way better way to describe everything from alcohol to marijuana to heroin.
Any substance consumed while it can affect on-job performance is bad. Consuming illegal substance is illegal, so law enforcement can take care of that if they find evidence. Otherwise, I don't really care what people do in their own time.
If you watch Hollywood movies of the last twenty years, you will unfortunately learn that there is no real party (eg. birthday, a celebration or just a friends gathering) without drugs. Older, younger, everyone needs to sniff something in order to "feel good". No surprise that that perception/mentality gradually spreads to other situations as well.
Not talking about addiction, though. That's totally different.
“I don’t think some recreational drug use is necessarily that bad”,
Enablers, enable, thus supporting your website blog for you to promote drug use is not where i am at in any way, shape, or form in my aviation culture.
Perhaps we can give you the benefit I of the doubt that you are taking the benefits you may gain from this website blog to bettering the world for all rather, than promoting drug...
“I don’t think some recreational drug use is necessarily that bad”,
Enablers, enable, thus supporting your website blog for you to promote drug use is not where i am at in any way, shape, or form in my aviation culture.
Perhaps we can give you the benefit I of the doubt that you are taking the benefits you may gain from this website blog to bettering the world for all rather, than promoting drug filled parties that have the potential to harm others.
Some reassurance or retraction is in order.
Arguably views on some drugs have changed. Cannabis is now essentially legal in many states and nations, ecstasy is argued to be not addictive and with no real issues of harm (unless you’re working or course!). That’s very different to other far more dangerous and addictive drugs.
Just because it may be legal to stick one’s head in an oven does not mean it is a safe, healthy, and wise thing to do. Those drugs are not healthy.
Those of you who have successfully been mind distorted by auto-0enned thinking will continue the attempts of destroying young lives and society with your drugs. As I said before enablers enable and there is no place for addicts and drugs in aviation.
Next...
Just because it may be legal to stick one’s head in an oven does not mean it is a safe, healthy, and wise thing to do. Those drugs are not healthy.
Those of you who have successfully been mind distorted by auto-0enned thinking will continue the attempts of destroying young lives and society with your drugs. As I said before enablers enable and there is no place for addicts and drugs in aviation.
Next you will be promoting tobacco smoking on an airplane. After it has been learned how damaging to the lungs of air crew members that has been.
Regardless of how “healthy” they are, this is not the question. Practically every review on this blog includes one or more alcoholic beverages (unhealthy) and sugary desserts (very unhealthy). The reason nobody seems to protest is that they are legal and acceptable. I think that is a reasonable test, rather than what you feel “healthy”
You should better stay away from this blog! Might I suggest moving to Saudi Arabia?
Might I suggest quit enabling the destruction of young Western and Christian lives by the promotion of drug culture.
Saudi, and Islamic or Muslim values customs or traditions or religion … heck no BTW. There is no place for that in my life. Especially not after 9/11 much less the Dawson Field Hijacking’s acts of terrorism committed by theses groups which precipitated the decline of societies era of civilized peaceful air travel. Enable that.
"Some reassurance or retraction is in order."
LOL! Thank you for this joke, you made it a great Sunday for many in the world.
Strippers dance naked and don't even get first class seats. Mofo musta been on that tusi.
First of all, so-called recreational drug use is wrong if it breaks the law and especially if it affects safety. Drug use on aircraft is a serious issue and illegal under the UK Air Navigation Order. And that is for passengers, let alone crew.
Second of all, it’s this attitude that recreational drug use is ok, comparing it to the occasional glass of wine, that causes the recklessness we have become accustomed to.
...
First of all, so-called recreational drug use is wrong if it breaks the law and especially if it affects safety. Drug use on aircraft is a serious issue and illegal under the UK Air Navigation Order. And that is for passengers, let alone crew.
Second of all, it’s this attitude that recreational drug use is ok, comparing it to the occasional glass of wine, that causes the recklessness we have become accustomed to.
Singapore has the right approach when it comes to drugs, not the UK or US.
The Anglo-Saxon loose vagina culture is doomed
Could have been due to side effects from prescription meds he may have been taking or other medical issue. How would you feel if you were dragged through the mud with headlines for an issue out of your control? No need to rush to judgement. Clearly nobody knows.
Tell me known prescribed meds which side effect makes you want to dance naked in the bathroom of an aircraft?
Just shows the decline in standard of British Airways. Miss the airline I used to fly on with pride in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. BA just ain't British these days.
One incident = “decline, ain’t British” apparently.
The incident in itself is not the issue. It's that the incident is representative of a broader decline in BA service. My wife and I have been flying BA for over 40 years. We've seen the decline. Our friends have seen the decline. It started with Willie, continued with Alex, . . .
If you've observed BA over the last 8-10 years or so, there is a pattern of problems that adds up eventually. This includes poorer track records of cabin crew, IT failures, cost cutting in the onboard service, etc. Hard to reckon with the perpetual mediocrity of an airline once ranked the first as recently as the mid 2000s.
When do consider the mid 2000's? I believe the mid 2000's to be roughly 2400-2600...
@Abe You know he meant 2000-2010…
Good thing he was in the lavatory, could have been dangerous for any passengers allergic to nuts.
Am glad you noticed this too.
Unintentional exposures to narcotics can be endangering to air crews.
Let’s hope this was unfortunately the case or some other issue such as a mixed meds conflict. Would much rather see this for the crew member rather than something far more serious, such as a compulsive addiction issue exacerbated by a nice layover.
I got the joke; good one!
" (Ooh, ooh) ooh, you can dance, you can jive
Having the time of your life
Ooh-ooh, ooh, see that girl, watch that scene
Digging the dancing queen"
Should have put him in economy - middle seat - for the duration of the flight.
The way you titled this, sounded like the FA was naked - dancing down the aisle. Not sure how you can dance in the very small restrooms on an airplane. Everyone is partially naked (exposing themselves) when they are in the restroom. And you are naked or most naked when you put on PJs in the restroom. Now being high on drugs while you are working is another issue.
The business restrooms on a BA A380 are massive. Plenty of room in there for a full on drug-fuelled orgy with the whole crew.
And all this time I thought they were ALL on Drugs due to the kind of service they provide on Flights from SFO TO LHR!
Try LHR-DEN-LHR excellent service every month for years now, are you sure that you didn’t end up on AA by mistake?
Due you think they know that it was a "Code share" Flight with AA?
Recreational drug use is necessarily bad.
I thought the story was going to be about a crew member that was going up and down the aisles dancing while naked.
I disagree with Lucky's support of drug use. He characterized it as not necessarily bad.
How would you like it if the brain surgeon doing surgery on your head was a drug addict? Or a FA in charge of your evacuation from a burning plane?
You conflated recreational drug usage and addiction, which are very different things. Would you be ok with your surgeon have a glass of wine on Friday night before a Monday surgery? Because I drink with quite a few surgeons who are very successful at their job. Turns out, recreational drinking isn’t an issue so long as it doesn’t affect your job. Now re-read Lucky’s comment.
That's an absurd correlation. Drinking wine is legal. Recreational drug use, ESPECIALLY used in the transport sector, is not.
When did Lucky say he supported drug addiction?
Can't we just use more neutral words than "drugs"? That term is loaded and shifts with public sentiment, while substance is probably a way better way to describe everything from alcohol to marijuana to heroin.
Any substance consumed while it can affect on-job performance is bad. Consuming illegal substance is illegal, so law enforcement can take care of that if they find evidence. Otherwise, I don't really care what people do in their own time.
Another Anglo Saxon moment.
No way Abdou! …. no blood was spilled so he must have been of a different persuasion …. :-)
One can only imagine the embarrassment to his colleagues, having to clean up this mess in front of your passengers. I suppose there wasn't much eye contact through the rest of flight.
I wonder if a toxicology test or urine sample test can be performed to find out exactly what influenced this behaviour? This could be some kind of mental episode or it could be drug induced. I remember about 2 years ago a BA pilot was fired for doing coke on a layover in South Africa, and last year a BA pilot assaulted 3 crew at their hotel, also in SA. Every once in a while something scandalous seems to happen...
Good for him, sounds like a fun time