A British Airways flight attendant, Haden Pentecost, 41, from Basingstoke, was found n@ked and under the influence of drugs during a flight from California to London.

Pentecost, who failed to assist with pre-flight safety checks, was described as agitated, sweating, and incoherent before locking himself in a toilet. When he eventually emerged, he was completely undressed, apparently unaware his clothes were missing. A female colleague helped him get dressed and moved him to a spare seat.

Magistrates heard that the crew first grew concerned when he complained of stomach cramps. The captain later intervened and a health professional was called on board. Pentecost’s dilated pupils, elevated heart rate, and erratic behaviour meant he had to be checked every 20 minutes until the plane landed at Heathrow, where paramedics took him to hospital.

A blood test confirmed the presence of methamphetamine and amphetamine. He pleaded guilty at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on August 22 to performing an aviation function while impaired by drugs. He has since been dismissed by British Airways and released on bail pending sentencing at Isleworth Crown Court.

This incident comes shortly after another controversy involving the airline, in which a BA pilot was suspended for allegedly leaving the cockpit door open during a Heathrow-to-New York flight so his family members onboard could see him at the controls. The breach sparked alarm among both passengers and crew, leading to an investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority and the cancellation of the return flight scheduled for August 8.