An easyJet pilot who reportedly walked around a hotel drunk and naked 36 hours before he was due to fly UK holidaymakers back to Gatwick has been suspended.
The captain was said to be due to fly a plane back to the UK from Cape Verde, West Africa.
EasyJet confirmed to Sky News a pilot had been “immediately stood down” and an investigation launched – and said it treated the safety of its passengers and crew with the “highest priority”.
No further details or comment have been released by the airline.
The pilot is said to have arrived at the five-star Melia Dunas Beach Resort and Spa, Cape Verde, on 4 August – and then embarked on a drinking session at a bar which lasted into the early hours of the morning, reported The Sun.
At 2.30am he removed all his clothes and walked into the reception area before moving onto the gym and spa, according to the newspaper.
He was due to operate a flight back to Gatwick around 36 hours later on the afternoon of 6 August, but a replacement pilot was found.
In a statement to Sky News, an easyJet spokesperson said: “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.”
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EasyJet’s flights from Gatwick to Cape Verde are its longest from England, at more than 2,300 nautical miles.
The flights are scheduled to last around six hours.
