An official probe is underway following reports of their ‘unruly behaviour’ at a hotel in Singapore
Three British Airways (BA) cabin crew are being investigated for alleged drunken misbehaviour at a hotel in Singapore.
A fellow BA official who witnessed and felt ‘disgusted’ by their antics was among those who reported the incident to their bosses in London.
The crew members were subsequently flown back home and suspended from duty. According to The Sun, all three may soon be sacked.
A spokesperson from the airline said they “do not tolerate unruly behaviour” by staff. BA is currently investigating the claims.
Insiders told media that the group had smuggled booze off the plane after a 14-hour flight from Heathrow airport. They got drunk at the hotel and started a scandalous game of “spin the bottle” that involved stripping down and running naked through the halls as well as disturbing other guests. They were also allegedly “frisky” and “creating havoc”.
Sources said officials at the hotel were fed up with their behaviour which included claims of sexual assault.
In such a blatant case of misconduct, how should HR handle it without making any legal mistakes?
If a dismissal is in the books, an employment lawyer told HRD that it’s best to have airtight knowledge of prevailing labour laws.
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“For employees covered under the [labour law], where there is misconduct by the employee, the employer is mandated by law to conduct an inquiry before terminating employment,” she said.
Most of the common mistakes when firing an employee involve this inquiry, including failing to conduct a proper inquiry or failing to keep records of the proceedings.
“The failure to properly document the findings of an inquiry and providing the findings in writing to the employee provides opportunity for the employee to raise objections and complaints against the termination,” she warned.
While there is no fixed procedure for how the inquiry is run, a general guide is that whoever is overseeing the inquiry should not be in a position to display bias.