A flight attendant for British Airways was found in a compromising state—naked and under the influence of drugs—inside an airplane restroom during a transatlantic journey but has avoided incarceration.

Haden Pentecost, aged 41, received a six-month prison term, which has been suspended for a year.

Additionally, he must complete 80 hours of community service and pay £150 in court costs after admitting to performing aviation duties while impaired by substances.

The Isleworth Crown Court was informed that Pentecost was scheduled to work on a flight from San Francisco to London Heathrow in May.

During sentencing, Judge Hannah Duncan remarked, “You are aware of the gravity of this offense. Passengers would have found your condition alarming. You have truly disappointed yourself.”

Prior to the flight, Pentecost had told his colleagues he was experiencing stomach pain; however, he assured them he was fit for service.

His coworkers later discovered him disoriented at the bottom of the stairs, appearing “disheveled, pale, sweaty, and erratic.”

He locked himself in a restroom and, upon exiting, was described as “completely naked and unaware” of his lack of clothing, according to prosecution barrister Natasha Lake.

A fellow crew member struggled to comprehend his speech before dressing him and relocating him to an unoccupied seat.

The captain was notified, and after addressing Pentecost, he requested medical assistance on board.

It was revealed that he had dilated pupils, was unable to recall the current year or who the U.S. president was, and consumed between 15 and 20 bottles of water throughout the flight, as stated in court.

His conduct created a significant distraction for the captain and crew, though passengers remained uninformed about his condition.

Upon landing at Heathrow, paramedics were waiting to assist and transported Pentecost to Hillingdon Hospital.

A subsequent blood test indicated the presence of methamphetamine and amphetamine in his system, leading to his dismissal from his position.

Ms. Lake indicated that the offense carried a maximum penalty of two years, but there were no sentencing guidelines applicable due to the “unusual” nature of the case.

She informed the court that Pentecost had not completed essential pre-flight safety checks, resulting in his colleagues managing the 10-and-a-half-hour flight without his support.

Defense attorney Jon Harrison stated that Pentecost had lost a profession he deeply valued and faced the court as “a man stripped of the career he aimed to develop post-Covid.”

The judge noted several mitigating factors in his case, including his previously good character and his prompt guilty plea, asserting that his conduct had not been violent or confrontational.

She initially lowered his sentence from 12 months to nine months, subsequently reducing it to six months for his early plea, and ultimately suspended it for one year.

British Airways has been contacted for a response.