A video capturing a couple engaging in sexual activity aboard a commercial flight has ignited widespread backlash on social media.
The incident, allegedly filmed by the pilots, has prompted the airline to launch an internal investigation into the matter.
According to hindustantimes.com, the footage, captured by the cockpit-controlled security cameras on a Swiss Air passenger jet, shows the couple in the galley of the plane. The incident occurred in November during Swiss Air’s 12-hour Flight 181, traveling from Bangkok to Zurich.
A user of social media platform X, posted a blurred image of the footage and said, “A couple on board a recent Swiss Air flight from Bangkok to Zurich joined the mile-high club in the first-class galley while secretly being recorded by the pilots.”
They added that “the cockpit crew are now under investigation for sharing the footage on group chats which has since gone viral.”
Swiss Air has initiated an investigation into privacy “violations,” with airline officials vowing to identify and take disciplinary action against the crew members responsible for recording the video without the couple’s consent and subsequently sharing it on social media.
“The filming of people without their clear consent as well as the transfer of these recordings contradict our guidelines and values and violate the applicable data protection regulations,” Swiss Air media spokesperson Meike Fuhlrott told the Daily Mail.
She emphasized that the crew should have “intervened directly” upon spotting the couple on camera, rather than filming the incident.
The sexual act was reportedly captured on a live-feed camera positioned above the cockpit door, as part of crew security measures following the 9/11 hijackings.
The camera is designed to monitor threats to the cockpit and show pilots whether it is safe to exit the control room. The sexual activity was allegedly filmed the incident using a separate device, with commentary being heard throughout.
The airline condemned both the viral video and the sarcastic commentary circulating on social media, calling them “disrespectful” to passengers.
