A British Airways flight attendant was found high on drugs and completely naked in an onboard toilet during a flight from California to London, a court heard.
Haden Pentecost, who was described as agitated, sweating and babbling, had to be stood down by the flight’s manager when he failed to help with any pre-flight safety checks.
After complaining of stomach cramps and saying he needed to change his clothes, the attendant locked himself in one of the plane’s toilets.
A colleague found him there naked and oblivious to the fact he had no clothes on. She had to dress him before moving him into a free seat, the court was told.
The flight attendant was spoken to by the captain before a health professional was called, the magistrate was told.
The court heard Pentecost had dilated pupils, a high heart rate, and had to be checked every 20 minutes until the plane arrived at Heathrow, where paramedics took him to hospital. A blood test later revealed he had methamphetamine and amphetamine in his system.
Right, right. Right.
He has since been sacked by British Airways, and lives with his husband, the court was told.
Gay air steward lives the high life, eg? Who would ever have guessed?
We all know that line that the reason stereotypes exist is because they’re a useful guide to hte world. The difficulty with them is that they’re only a guide not a proof. It isn’t true that all air stewards are gay, nor that all of Teh Gayers use meth or speed and so on. Nor even that all air crew are living the high life.
On the other hand, as a short hand guide to reality, well…..
The moment I saw the headline I could have written the story and got most of it right. On seeing the photo I would have got absolutely everything right.
As someone once said: Stereotypes are useful up to the point of getting to know the individual.
At least he wasn’t having chemsex with Eduardo and Ronaldo from seats 35 B and C.
BiND
That is true , but too often ( eg Germans, gayers …) I have met individuals who match the stereotype.
I personally think that they do it on purpose.
There is so much humor in stereotypes. Monty Python exploited the subject brilliantly with:
Brigadier Sir Charles Arthur Strong, Mrs.:
Dear Sir, I wish to complain in the strongest possible terms about the song you have just broadcast about the lumberjack who wears women’s clothes. Many of my best friends are lumberjacks, and only a few of them are transvestites. Yours faithfully, Brigadier Sir Charles Arthur Strong, Mrs.
’She had to dress him before moving him into a free seat, the court was told.’
Why did she? Were there no other males on the crew who could have done it?
Erm, if he’s gay and she’s female then that’s sexually neutral for him at least, no?
“the reason stereotypes exist is because they’re a useful guide to hte world”
Aren’t you in danger of stereotyping stereotypes?
How the heck was the aerosol allowed on board?
Were there no other males on the crew who could have done it?
Most cabin crew are female. And many heterosexual males would regard dressing a naked gayer as like being asked to wash a leper.
Erm, if he’s gay and she’s female then that’s sexually neutral for him at least, no?
And he didn’t pose a sexual threat to her. Also, many women – fag-hags – have a curious sympathy for gayers…presumably because they are not a sexual threat to women.
At least he wasn’t having chemsex with Eduardo and Ronaldo from seats 35 B and C.
He possibly had chemsex with Eduardo and Ronaldo shortly before boarding, which would explain why he was high…
Not gonna lie, with a name like Haden, I was hoping for a female attendant recovering from a wild party in the galley.
Otto,
That is true , but too often ( eg Germans, gayers …) I have met individuals who match the stereotype.
I personally think that they do it on purpose.
Stereotypes develop either as a handy guide to the majority or a perceived or real threat from a minority, my guess is that in this case it’s because it covers a majority. As someone pointed out on here, its male sexuality meets male sexuality so few limitations.
Although my own limited experience is mixed. The gay person I used to work with when we were travelling was definitely in the first category and was always out partying and knew where all the gay scenes were in every city long before the WWW made that information wide spread. The gay couple in our village appear to be the opposite, quite conservative and easy going.
@Bloke in North Dorset – August 23, 2025 at 7:54 am
As someone once said: Stereotypes are useful up to the point of getting to know the individual.
Some years ago I was flying from East Midlands and was chatting with a chap in the next seat who said he was cabin crew going to join a flight from BCN, and had been called out at short notice and “it often happened because he and his wife lived in Castle Donnington” (ie right next to the airport). One raised one’s eyebrows somewhat – to which he retorted with a grin “we’re not all gay, you know!”. 🙂
“we’re not all gay, you know!”
Given the other common stereotype and relative lack of male competition, I’ve often thought it might actually be quite a smart career choice for a red-blooded young chap.
Was there a butt plug in his aerosol?
“Ball or aerosol?”
“No, I want it for my armpits”.
RIP Mel Smith
BiND
The gay couple in our village appear to be the opposite, quite conservative and easy going.
Same here. Two gay couples in the neighbourhood, both dress conservatively, contribute to the community and all have professional jobs. In conversation, one of them said, “We are not into the gay scene. I don’t even see myself as ‘gay’: I am just a man who fell in love with Steve.”
Given the other common stereotype and relative lack of male competition, I’ve often thought it might actually be quite a smart career choice for a red-blooded young chap.
A Virgin captain I know said that when they have to stop over on long haul “it is like clubbing seals”.
BiCiR
Compare and contrast the magnificent Virgin advert of 25 years ago:-
https://youtu.be/FYQHDadIDxk?si=vmbQsptRzmK7z-6N
with what they have become:-
https://youtu.be/a1eOmsEG01k?si=w_RBhO51EKyc9rD9
I suspect today’s red-blooded chaps would find it’s not only the adverts that have changed.
“Nor even that all air crew are living the high life.”
If they’re not getting high it’s presumably because they’re WFH
Oh dearie me!
Looking at that second ad, clubbing the seals is a good move.
I used Virgin a lot in the ’90s, then they quit the Tokyo route. Since they went all trans I’ve resolved never to fly them again. To Japan it’ll be ANA or JAL and I doubt I’ll do any other long haul again than that.
I’ve never actually flown Virgin… Looking at the tranny ad I’m unlikely to in the future.
Emirates is my long-haul favourite from here, Ryanair to Europe…
In the early 90s the BA 747-400s on the Tokyo route had an economy class cabin upstairs and 62A and F were the best cheap seats in the house. Then Virgin came along with premium economy for similar money and their seats were even better. Their A340s were rock-solid and stable, too, whereas the 747 always had a bit of residual Dutch Roll and you could feel its effects after an 11 hour flight.
Virgin flight crew seemed to be identical to BA’s – Nigels – but the cabin crew always looked like they’d just come out of Stringfellow’s. Now they look like they’ve come out of a horror film. I’d rather have grumpy, frumpy middle-aged BA crew than indeterminate “queers”. Which is likely to be better when actually needed? And that fucking so-called “pilot” in the ad…
Nowadays it’s Japanese airlines for me. Impeccable service from smart, ordinary but elegant Japanese crew. No obvious poofters.
Interesting fact:
The Virgin ad from 25 years ago was mostly filmed in the main hall of Ascot race course which was dressed to resemble an airport.
@Norman
Virgin had reinstated the London to Tokyo direct flight by 2010. I used it often though it was a long time in the air. My other usual flight was London to Sydney that had a refueling stop in Hong Kong. Seldom did other businesses passengers do both legs hence use the lounge for the wait. It was hard to find when coming from air side but very rewarding as it was staffed by the most gorgeous group of girls in red waiting for just me to arrive. I used to get there about 4 o’clock and thanks to the oddness of travelling half way around the world I sill have no idea if that was 4AM or 4PM in HK