Watch: Allegedly Drunk Pilot Stumbles Past Security and Slurs Pre-Flight Announcement

A pilot for an Indonesian ultra-low-fare airline is without a job after video surfaced exposing the aviator’s highly suspicious pre-flight behavior.

A pilot for the ultra-low-fare airline Citilink had more than a little trouble navigating the security checkpoint at Surabaya Juanda International Airport (SUB) in Indonesia on Wednesday, but he still managed to make his way to the flight deck of an Airbus A320 bound for Jakarta Soekarno–Hatta International Airport (CGK) before passengers and fellow crew members stepped in to relieve the allegedly intoxicated captain from duty. After video of the pilot’s pre-flight theatrics came to light, the airline on Friday announced it has fired Captain Tekad Purna.

A video showing Purna’s struggles at the airport checkpoint has captured headlines in Indonesia and was even discussed during a session of the Indonesian Legislature on Friday. The footage shows Captain Purna repeatedly dropping his belongings while passing through the security line. He is eventually assisted by security personnel who help him to gather his belongings, which he quickly spills once again. The unsteady pilot then appears to stagger away from the checkpoint, presumably towards the plane he intends to fly with 154 passengers already aboard.

Footage taken moments later by a passenger on the flight purportedly documents the pilot’s slurred attempt at a pre-flight announcement. The captain’s thick-tongued-speech reportedly left several passengers unwilling to remain aboard the aircraft.

In a third and separate video, the captain can be clearly overheard arguing with fellow crew members. The pilot is said to have been removed from the plane a short time later.

Citilink officials initially resisted a rush to judgement. The airline admitted that the pilot appeared “physically unfit,” but declined to speculate on his condition pending the results of medical tests.

“Citilink is very serious about handling this matter,” Citilink President Albert Burhan told the Daily Mail in a statement. “The pilot in question has been suspended until the ongoing investigation is completed.”

Faced with growing media and political scrutiny, the airline was taking a much harder line by Friday, making it clear that Purna was no longer employed at the carrier.

[Screengrab: YouTube]