EasyJet has suspended one of its captains after he was reportedly spotted roaming naked through a luxury resort in Cape Verde while intoxicated. The incident, which occurred in the early hours of 5 August, has sparked an internal investigation and raised concerns over professional conduct in the aviation industry.
According to reports by The Sun, the unnamed pilot had arrived at the five-star Melia Dunas Beach Resort and Spa on 4 August. He allegedly spent the evening drinking heavily at the hotel bar before removing his clothes and wandering through public areas, including the reception, gym, and spa, at around 02:30 local time (04:30 BST). Guests at the resort described him as smelling strongly of alcohol.
An airline insider quoted by the paper said: “Anyone who saw the pilot cavorting naked in the early hours on the day before a flight would not dream of getting on a plane with him at the controls.”
The pilot was scheduled to operate a return flight from Cape Verde to London Gatwick covering approximately 2,332 nautical miles (4,318 km) on the afternoon of 6 August, more than 36 hours after the incident. However, EasyJet removed him from duty after receiving complaints and arranged for a replacement captain to operate the flight.
In a statement to the BBC, an EasyJet spokesperson confirmed: “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.”
The airline’s code of business ethics explicitly requires staff to act “with integrity” when representing the company, including in interactions with customers, colleagues, and the wider community. The investigation will determine whether the pilot’s behaviour breached these standards and if disciplinary action, including possible termination, will follow.
While no passengers were put at immediate risk, the episode has drawn public attention to the responsibilities pilots bear both in and out of the cockpit. EasyJet reiterated that it holds its flight crew to the highest professional and safety standards, ensuring that incidents of this nature are dealt with swiftly and in accordance with company policy.
