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Dialuna, 2 October 2023 AWEMainta INTERNATIONAL 29

Airways Pilot’s Wild
Airways Pilot’s Wild

Night in Johannesburg
Night in Johannesburg

Leads to Flight Delay
Leads to Flight Delay

and Career Fallout
and Career Fallout

IN August, a British Airways pilot named Mike Beaton drug test, and subsequently terminated from his position as
found himself at the center of a scandal that led to a flight a British Airways pilot.
delay and ultimately cost him his job. During a layover in

Johannesburg, Beaton embarked on a night of excess, which British Airways emphasized that there had been no risk to
he later detailed in text messages to a stewardess friend. passengers and assured the public that safety was their top
priority. They reported the incident to the UK Civil Aviation
His account of the evening left little doubt that he was in no Authority (CAA), leading to Beaton’s dismissal from the

condition to co-pilot a flight to London the next morning. airline.
Beaton’s night out involved drinking, cocaine use, and mara-
thon sex, all of which took place in Johannesburg. This incident serves as a cautionary tale about the impor-
tance of responsible behavior, particularly in professions

The evening began at a bar and continued to the “Grillhouse,” that involve the safety and well-being of others.
believed to be the Melville Arch branch of a steakhouse. From Airways Pilot’s Wild Night in Johannesburg Leads to Flight
there, the group, which included Beaton, a “young Spanish Delay and Career Fallout”
bird,” and a “Welsh chick,” proceeded to the Tiger’s Milk

restaurant. At the bar, they also encountered “two local lads
who live in the compound,” likely referring to Melrose Arch.

Beaton’s wild night escalated when he snorted cocaine from

the breasts of one of the women, after initiating a debate
about whose breast would be best for this activity. As the
night progressed, he realized that things were spiraling out
of control. He eventually returned the women to their hotel,

where he engaged in drug-fueled marathon sex with his
Welsh acquaintance.

Even when his friend expressed discomfort with the cocaine

use, Beaton continued to boast about his exploits. The situ-
ation took a serious turn when his colleague reported his
behavior to their superiors, resulting in the cancellation of
the flight from Johannesburg to London.

The consequences for Beaton were swift and severe. He
was flown home the next day as a passenger, subjected to a