Jet2 passenger spots can of Stella Artois in the cockpit

A SHOCKED Jet2 passenger spotted a can of Stella Artois sat next to a pilot in the cockpit of a flight that had just landed in the UK following a 1600km trip from Spain.

Steve Lewis claims he saw the lager sat at the captain’s side for 20 minutes after the cockpit’s door was opened while passengers waited to disembark.

Mr Lewis, 59, said: “After we had landed at around 20 past one, 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 in the cockpit.

“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.”

Low-cost airline Jet2 has said the can was unopened and had been left there by a member of the cabin crew while they helped customers disembark.

But, Mr Lewis said he was not reassured, adding it is still a concern that alcohol is even allowed in the cockpit — whether 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.

“Airlines are really strict about how much passengers drink and our flight out to Alicante on the 7th September was an alcohol free one as it was early in the morning, surely they should follow the same guidelines for staff.”

Mr Lewis, from Northamptonshire, about 130km northwest of London, sent Jet2 his picture and said they initially claimed it wasn’t one of the company’s flights before “further investigation” revealed it was.

A spokesman for the airline 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.”

Mr Lewis, who had been attending Benidorm Pride with his husband, added: “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 [to have the can in the cockpit], they have said they are investigating but I haven’t heard anything from them since.”

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was republished with permission.