A British Airways flight attendant was removed from a £2,000-a-night Maldives hotel and ordered to fly home following a drunken row with staff and other guests.
The airline is investigating the incident which reportedly saw the member of staff “screaming and screeching” all night long with her two guests after enjoying their all-inclusive drinks package.
The Sun reported how a fight broke out when the trio were confronted about their behaviour and made aware of complaints made by other hotel guests.
“There was a lot of pushing and shoving, then fists were flying. Onlookers got involved as they tried to break it up. It was the last straw for the hotel. BA was informed and the stewardess was ordered home,” a source told The Sun.
The employee in question had arrived from Heathrow into the capital Malé last week and was staying at the Oblu Xperience Ailafushi with several other crew members.
She was also reportedly staying with her daughter and a friend, who had used staff travel perks to take advantage of discounted prices.
Following the row, hotel staff then contacted the airline and threatened to remove the entire crew who were staying there from the hotel.
The stewardess then returned to Heathrow last Wednesday, with her daughter and friend flying back the next day.
A BA spokesperson told The Independent: “We are investigating the matter.”
British Airways rules make clear that employees are responsible for the behaviour of other passengers travelling under their name.
The dramatic events come as BA celebrated 50 years of flying on April 1. The carrier was created from British European Airways and intercontinental airline BOAC, plus two smaller operators: Cambrian Airways and Northeast Air.
Since then, it has grown to become one of the UK’s most popular airlines and remains formidably profitable, retaining the majority of the slots at London Heathrow airport.