Budget airline passenger stunned to spot can of Stella Artois in cockpit

A photo by Steve Lewis of the can of lager in the Jet2 cockpit. Photo / Caters

A budget airline passenger was left "shocked" after spotting a can of Stella Artois in the cockpit of the plane that'd just flown hundreds of people back from Spain.

The Jet2 aircraft had landed at Birmingham Airport when passenger Steve Lewis noticed the can of lager, which appeared unopened.

The 59-year-old and his husband Steven, 51, both watched in disbelief as the can remained in the cockpit for around 20 minutes.

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."

Lewis, who lives in, Brackley in Northamptonshire, was returning from a one-night stay in Benidorm, where he had been celebrating Pride.

The GP's reception manager said he was taken aback to see alcohol in the cockpit.

He said "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 sceptical 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."

Holidaymaker Steve Lewis spotted the can of lager. Photo / Caters

He added: "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."

Jet2 has confirmed there was an unopened can of lager in the cockpit but said it had been handed to staff by a customer.

A spokesperson 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."