British Airways A380 Pilot’s Wild Night: From Cocaine-Fueled Revelry to Grounded Career

Reader discretion is advised – we try to keep things PG-13 here at Points and PDBs, but this article describes the actions of a pilot which may be explicit.

In the latest episode of “Airlines Gone Wild,” we have a British Airways First Officer, Mike Beaton, who decided to embark on a debaucherous adventure before a flight from Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport (JNB) to London-Heathrow Airport (LHR) – flight BA56, operated by an Airbus A380-800. The Sun reports that Beaton’s escapades included snorting cocaine off a woman’s bare breasts – a detail that would make even the most seasoned travelers gasp.

According to The Sun, Beaton was far from discreet about his wild night, gleefully sharing the sordid details with a flight attendant friend. He even admitted, “I’ve been a very naughty boy.” Well, Mike, a broken clock is right twice a day!

Beaton’s night of hedonism began innocently enough, with a night out in Johannesburg. He met a female Welsh holidaymaker and a “young Spanish bird” at a nightclub, and things quickly escalated from there. “We all walk (stagger) back up to the hotel bar for ‘one last one before bed,'” Beaton bragged. It’s unclear what BA’s “bottle to throttle” policy is, but one has to wonder if he broke it right here.

However, the night took a scandalous turn when Beaton and his companions ended up at a local dude’s apartment. In Beaton’s text message exchange, he goes on to note that “Welsh” decided he should be her boyfriend, and describes in vivid detail how the group performed a sex act on “Spanish” atop a sofa.

Amidst the topless dancing and questionable decisions, Class A drugs made their entrance. Beaton enthusiastically shared, “I’ve lost my shirt somewhere and one of the local lads produces a plate with a few lines of coke. So then there’s a debate about whose chest is the best to do a bump off.” And that’s how our protagonist found himself in the peculiar position of snorting cocaine off a woman’s chest in Johannesburg.

After this eventful evening, Beaton managed to stay with the Welsh holidaymaker, but his excesses clearly caught up with him. He lamented, “Stayed the night with Welsh, sh** her for ages (I guess the coke played a part) and then was so f** I couldn’t even lift my head until gone 2.” Ouch.

Not surprisingly, Beaton’s confessions to his FA friend didn’t stay secret for long. Maybe he thought his actions would earn him some street cred with his colleagues, but those very colleagues had a commitment to safety to uphold. Appalled by his behavior, his colleague reported him to British Airways, who swiftly canceled the flight, estimated to cost the airline GBP £100,000. Beaton was suspended, flown back to the UK as a passenger, and subjected to a drug test at Heathrow, which sealed his fate.

It’s safe to say that Beaton’s career as a pilot has crash-landed. His antics not only violated the law but also brought unwanted attention upon British Airways. As one airline source put it, “This pilot has hoisted himself by his own petard.” The British Airways First Officer had a duty to protect the safety of passengers, but instead, he chose a path of recklessness.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of BA crew members going wild on layovers. From Miami strip club arrests to sexual assault allegations in Singapore, British Airways has had its fair share of high-flying scandals. Not to mention, last year, staff were banned from all-inclusive deals in the Maldives after a flight attendant passed out drunk on a beach. Talk about a wild ride!

Despite Beaton’s misadventures, British Airways assures us that there was no risk to passengers during his Johannesburg binge. They promptly informed the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which withdrew Beaton’s medical certificate, effectively grounding him for good. They have also confirmed that Beaton is no longer employed by the airline.

In the end, Mike Beaton’s wild night out was more than just a bad decision; it was the end of his aviation career. His license to fly has been revoked, and he’s left with nothing but memories of his infamous cocaine caper. In the world of aviation, it’s a reminder that even the highest fliers can come crashing down when they lose sight of their responsibilities.