LONDON, Sept 29, (Agencies): British Airways pilot has been dismissed from his position after allegedly indulging in cocaine use just hours before his scheduled flight, as reported by The Sun.

The pilot in question, First Officer Mike Beaton, was slated to serve as the co-pilot on a flight from Johannesburg to London in the previous month, according to The Sun's account.

The tabloid disclosed that Beaton had openly discussed his drug consumption through a series of lengthy text messages with a friend who happened to be a member of the British Airways cabin crew. Disturbed by his revelations, the cabin crew member promptly alerted British Airways management, leading to Beaton's removal from the flight, as per The Sun.

In a statement furnished to Insider, a British Airways spokesperson refrained from confirming specific details but emphasized their commitment to safety, stating, "Safety is always our top priority. The matter was referred to the CAA, and this individual no longer works for us."

As a consequence of this incident, the 11-hour flight from South Africa to the UK experienced an overnight delay, as confirmed by the airline spokesperson.

The routes operated by British Airways, BA54 and BA56, between London and Johannesburg employ the Airbus A380, a double-decker aircraft with a capacity of up to 469 passengers.

According to The Sun's report, Beaton confided in his colleague about his escapades during his leisure time before the scheduled flight from Johannesburg to London. He recounted his evening, which included meeting two men, a Welsh individual, and a young Spanish woman at a nightclub in the city, as documented in the text messages reviewed by The Sun.

The text messages detailed how the group had consumed an entire bottle of vodka, engaged in topless dancing, and culminated in Beaton choosing to disrobe as well, as reported by the newspaper. Allegedly, one of the men produced cocaine, leading to Beaton's claim that he "ended up snorting coke off a girl's body in Joburg."

Subsequent to the airline's notification, Beaton underwent a drug test, which yielded a positive result and led to his termination, as per The Sun's report. He was subsequently transported back to London's Heathrow Airport as a passenger on the following day, The Sun stated.

Mike Beaton did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) informed Insider that in cases where a UK pilot misuses alcohol or drugs before or during a flight, the airline is obligated to report it to the CAA. The pilot's medical certificate is immediately suspended, rendering them ineligible to fly. To regain flight privileges, the pilot must undergo an assessment with a medical expert and adhere to a comprehensive rehabilitation program, as outlined in the statement from the CAA.