Ryanair steward arrested and sacked after ‘downing booze on flight’

A RYANAIR steward seen apparently downing booze on a flight has been sacked for failing a breath test.

Sam Thompson, 26, was caught allegedly downing a miniature bottle of wine and a shot of Jack Daniels from a drinks trolley.

He was said to have necked booze with a passenger at the rear of the jet, made an obscene gesture to the camera — but was arrested on landing after the captain was alerted.

A passenger who had asked crew for a drink said he was shocked when Thompson started boozing with him.

He told The Sun: “I don’t know what he was thinking. 

“I asked for a drink and when he came over he said to me, ‘Shush, don’t tell anyone but I will have one, too’.

“Then he started necking a shot of whiskey. He also had a 187ml bottle of rosé.

“He sounded drunk and looked like he had been drinking for longer than just on the flight. 

“I asked to speak to the captain and he was furious.”

In footage handed to police, the uniformed steward is seen sitting near the exit door as he apparently tries to discreetly drink rosé.

 In another clip, he turns away and appears to knock back a shot of whiskey.

After sinking it, he gags and says “don’t make it obvious” as he tries to hide his drinking from other staff. 

Ryanair crew are not allowed to drink alcohol up to eight hours before, or during, a flight.

The company’s code of ethics says being “impaired by drugs or alcohol while performing company business” is subject to disciplinary action.

It is believed the captain breathalysed Thompson who allegedly had 50mg per 100 millilitres of breath. 

The legal limit for driving a car is 35mg.

All staff on Wednesday’s flight from Rzeszow, Poland, to Stansted, Essex, were said to have been kept on the plane after it touched down and spoken to by the captain.

Essex Police said Thompson, of Cheshunt, Herts, had been charged with “performing an aviation function, namely being a member of cabin of an aircraft during flight, when their ability to do so was impaired because of drink”. 

He has been sacked by the airline and is set to appear at Chelmsford magistrates’ court on June 8.

Ryanair said the plane was being operated by sister company Lauda Europe.

The airline added: “Lauda Europe has investigated a reported individual cabin crew breach of this strict policy. 

“The cabin crew member in question no longer operates for Lauda Europe.”