Inquiry into Jetstar executive’s alleged first class in flight “funny business”
A Sydney Morning Herald report says that Bruce Buchanan, Jetstar’s Commercial General Manager, has been accused of engaging in ‘funny business” with a woman on a fold-down seat in the first-class cabin of a flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles on Friday.
It appears that Mr Buchanan was in the first class section on Qantas Flight 93 to the US when the incident allegedly took place, when allegedly, after the lights went down on the 14-hour trip, a woman apparently moved to share his seat.
Another first-class passenger complained to a flight attendant, according to people in the cabin at the time.
Sources on the flight said it was not clear what was going on but there was no suggestion the pair were having sex. “It was just funny business,” one source said.
It is unclear whether cuddling constitutes a breach of strict behavioural guidelines which apply to airline employees but the incident was enough for staff on the flight to prepare a report for Qantas management.
The SMH says it raises questions about the behaviour of Jetstar employees, including senior executives such as Mr Buchanan, travelling on discounted staff flights.
Staff must wear “appropriate” clothes, not jeans, and show exemplary behaviour and last week Qantas, the parent company of Jetstar, was forced to reinstate a cabin supervisor sacked for breaching policy by taking chocolate-covered macadamia nuts from a flight.
The cabin steward, Philip Woodward-Brown, had been stood down immediately after the offending nuts were discovered on his person during a routine security check in Tokyo last year.
When the incident took place on Friday, Mr Buchanan was travelling to Los Angeles for a holiday.
A Jetstar spokesman confirmed last night the incident was being investigated but said the airline was yet to speak to Mr Buchanan about the complaint.
“We do not believe the event was of a serious nature.” “A full investigation will take place but we obviously want to hear Mr Buchanan’s side of the story,” the spokesman said.
Qantas also confirmed that it was investigating the incident but said it did not appear to be a serious offence.
Mr Buchanan, who could not be reached for comment, is due back from his holiday next week.
Not that there is any connection or similarity whatsoever, but interesting happenings in the air, particularly in light of Richard Branson’s revelations about his mid flight antics! Maybe its the effect lower oxygen levels in the cabin! All I do is sleep on planes!
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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