A holidaymaker was left stunned when he spotted a can of Stella Artois between the pilots on a flight from Alicante.
Steve Lewis from Brackley in Northamptonshire was returning to Birmingham Airport on Monday after enjoying a holiday in Alicante with his husband.
But the 59-year-old said he was ‘concerned’ to notice the can of alcohol in the cockpit as he disembarked the plane, which was carrying nearly 200 passengers.
A holidaymaker spotted this can of Stella Artois between the pilots on the Jet2 flight
Steve Lewis was returning to Birmingham Airport on Monday after enjoying a holiday in Alicante with his husband
Mr Lewis claims the lager can sat at the side of the pilot ‘for 20 minutes’ and was visible as they opened the cockpit door when the plane landed.
The 59-year-old said although the can appeared unopened, he was shocked alcohol is allowed in the cockpit at all and questioned why it had a napkin under it.
Jet2 said that the unopened can had been left there after it was handed to a member of the cabin crew by a passenger.
Mr Lewis said: ‘After we had landed at around 1.20pm, we were waiting on board for 20 minutes to get off, that’s when I noticed the can.
‘The plane had landed and the seatbelt light came on. I stood up to get my suitcase and as I did the cockpit door opened and I noticed the can.
‘I turned to my partner Steven, who didn’t believe me at first, but then he noticed you could clearly see the Stella branding.
‘I was so shocked, I couldn’t understand why there was alcohol in the cockpit.
‘It was there for the whole time we were waiting so it wasn’t like the stewards had placed it down while they were busy and went back to move it.
‘It even had a napkin underneath it which is how they serve drinks to passengers, so I’m a bit skeptical to whether it was there because someone had left it.
‘It concerns me that alcohol is even allowed in the cockpit, if it was open or not.
‘They flew 300 people home that flight and I just think there should be some rules on alcohol in the cockpit if there isn’t some already.
Mr Lewis claims the lager can sat at the side of the pilot ‘for 20 minutes’ and was visible as they opened the cockpit door when the plane landed.
‘Airlines are really strict about how much passengers drink and our flight out to Alicante on the 7 September was an alcohol free one as it was early in the morning, surely they should follow the same guidelines for staff.’
Mr Lewis and his husband Steven, 51, had returned from an 11-night-stay in Benidorm for Pride.
Mr Lewis, who works as a doctor’s reception manager said: ‘An assistant got in contact with me and told me that the picture was not taken on a Jet2 flight. I felt like I was being accused of lying.
‘This is what upset me the most, I explained to her that I could prove it was taken on the Alicante to Birmingham flight and she replied to say that the can had been given to the pilot for safe keeping.
‘She explained that a senior member of staff had put the unopened can in the cockpit while passengers disembarked from the plane.
‘I just don’t think it is appropriate to have any alcohol near the flight deck.
‘I would like Jet2 to look into this and admit it was wrong. They have said they are investigating but I haven’t heard anything from them since.’
A spokesperson for Jet2 said: ‘Upon further investigation of the photograph, we can confirm that it is an unopened can which had been handed to a member of our cabin crew by a customer when they were leaving the aircraft.
‘This unopened can was then put down in the cockpit by the member of cabin crew, so that she could continue helping customers as they disembarked.’