A British Airways flight attendant was arrested and fired for consuming several bottles of wine before a flight, where she was discovered to be eight times over the legal alcohol limit. Deborah Merritt, aged 59, was serving on a three-hour journey from London Heathrow to Malaga, Spain, in April when passengers observed her unsteadiness. Subsequently, Merritt was confined to a seat for the remainder of the flight.
Upon landing in Spain, she was arrested, and tests confirmed she exceeded the permissible alcohol limit for air crew, registering 70mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. Appearing at Uxbridge Magistrates Court, Merritt, who is married to a pilot, cited family stress as a reason for her actions. She expressed regret over losing her job and stated she won’t be able to work as a flight attendant again.
Following the incident, British Airways terminated Merritt’s employment. She admitted guilt to an alcohol-related charge based on a second breath test result showing 52mcg. The court imposed a £768 fine and £392 in costs on the 59-year-old.
In a separate incident, another British Airways flight attendant, Haden Pentecost from Basingstoke, was discovered naked and under the influence of drugs in a plane lavatory during a flight from San Francisco, California, to London. Pentecost exhibited agitation, sweating, and incoherent speech after neglecting pre-flight safety duties. Colleagues assisted him in dressing before relocating him to a vacant seat.
Pentecost received a suspended six-month prison term in September 2025 for performing aviation duties while impaired by drugs. He also owed £150 in costs and was required to complete 80 hours of unpaid work. Judge Hannah Duncan admonished Pentecost for his behavior, emphasizing the seriousness of his actions aboard the aircraft.
