NickLappos
13th Feb 2007, 06:56
A QANTAS flight attendant faces the sack after being accused of having sex with British actor Ralph Fiennes in an aircraft toilet while flying from Australia to India.
Sydney-based Lisa Robertson, 38, met the star of The English Patient while working in the business-class cabin on flight QF 123 from Darwin to Mumbai on January 24.
In a confidential report to Qantas management obtained by The Sunday Telegraph, Ms Robertson is accused of chatting to Fiennes during the flight and being seen exiting the same toilet moments apart.
She claims Fiennes, 44, became "amorous'' towards her in the toilet.
Ms Robertson declined to comment when contacted by The Sunday Telegraph.
Qantas staff who were aware of the incident said last night the couple were caught after crew members waited outside the toilet.
In a statement lodged with her employer, Ms Robertson denied the allegations.
The statement was presented at a meeting on Thursday between Ms Robertson, the Flight Attendants' Association, Qantas and airline services contractor Morris Alexander Management.
At the meeting Qantas representatives accused Ms Robertson of having sex with Fiennes.
Ms Robertson has been suspended without pay.
Fiennes had been in Australia to perform at the Sydney Festival before travelling to India.
Details of Ms Robertson's alleged encounter with Fiennes are contained in her statement to Qantas management.
It shows she has been accused of two breaches of the company's corporate and cabin-crew policies.
The first breach relates to Fiennes allegedly sitting in a crew jump seat while chatting to Ms Robertson during her rest break.
The second relates to Ms Robertson and the actor being seen leaving the same toilet.
They were allegedly spotted by two crew members, who told the flight's customer-services manager.
"While conversing with Mr Fiennes during my break, I expressed a need to go to the toilet,'' Ms Robertson said in her statement.
"I went to the nearby toilet and entered it, he followed me and entered the same toilet.
"I explained to him that this was inappropriate and asked him to leave. Mr Fiennes became amorous towards me and, after a short period of time, I convinced him to leave the toilet, which he did.
"I left the toilet a short time later. At no time did any crew member come to my assistance.
"At no time were any other customers aware of this incident. At no time did I put the Qantas name or reputation in jeopardy.''
In her statement, Ms Robertson admitted that Fiennes had visited her in the crew rest area during her break to chat.
She also admitted having several conversations with the actor throughout the flight, but said she was simply doing her job.
"This is common practice on long flights to build a rapport with passengers and converse with them during the flight,'' Ms Robertson said in her statement.
According to her statement, Ms Robertson was a police officer for 14 years before joining Qantas in September, 2004.
She said she had been repeatedly commended for her service as a flight attendant.
The Flight Attendants' Association of Australia did not return calls.
A Qantas spokesman said: "All we can do is confirm that a flight attendant was stood down following an onboard incident.''
He refused to comment on whether this incident involved Fiennes, citing passenger privacy.
A copy of the flight manifest obtained by The Sunday Telegraph confirmed Fiennes was on board the flight on January 24. He occupied seat 2K in business class.
Sydney-based Lisa Robertson, 38, met the star of The English Patient while working in the business-class cabin on flight QF 123 from Darwin to Mumbai on January 24.
In a confidential report to Qantas management obtained by The Sunday Telegraph, Ms Robertson is accused of chatting to Fiennes during the flight and being seen exiting the same toilet moments apart.
She claims Fiennes, 44, became "amorous'' towards her in the toilet.
Ms Robertson declined to comment when contacted by The Sunday Telegraph.
Qantas staff who were aware of the incident said last night the couple were caught after crew members waited outside the toilet.
In a statement lodged with her employer, Ms Robertson denied the allegations.
The statement was presented at a meeting on Thursday between Ms Robertson, the Flight Attendants' Association, Qantas and airline services contractor Morris Alexander Management.
At the meeting Qantas representatives accused Ms Robertson of having sex with Fiennes.
Ms Robertson has been suspended without pay.
Fiennes had been in Australia to perform at the Sydney Festival before travelling to India.
Details of Ms Robertson's alleged encounter with Fiennes are contained in her statement to Qantas management.
It shows she has been accused of two breaches of the company's corporate and cabin-crew policies.
The first breach relates to Fiennes allegedly sitting in a crew jump seat while chatting to Ms Robertson during her rest break.
The second relates to Ms Robertson and the actor being seen leaving the same toilet.
They were allegedly spotted by two crew members, who told the flight's customer-services manager.
"While conversing with Mr Fiennes during my break, I expressed a need to go to the toilet,'' Ms Robertson said in her statement.
"I went to the nearby toilet and entered it, he followed me and entered the same toilet.
"I explained to him that this was inappropriate and asked him to leave. Mr Fiennes became amorous towards me and, after a short period of time, I convinced him to leave the toilet, which he did.
"I left the toilet a short time later. At no time did any crew member come to my assistance.
"At no time were any other customers aware of this incident. At no time did I put the Qantas name or reputation in jeopardy.''
In her statement, Ms Robertson admitted that Fiennes had visited her in the crew rest area during her break to chat.
She also admitted having several conversations with the actor throughout the flight, but said she was simply doing her job.
"This is common practice on long flights to build a rapport with passengers and converse with them during the flight,'' Ms Robertson said in her statement.
According to her statement, Ms Robertson was a police officer for 14 years before joining Qantas in September, 2004.
She said she had been repeatedly commended for her service as a flight attendant.
The Flight Attendants' Association of Australia did not return calls.
A Qantas spokesman said: "All we can do is confirm that a flight attendant was stood down following an onboard incident.''
He refused to comment on whether this incident involved Fiennes, citing passenger privacy.
A copy of the flight manifest obtained by The Sunday Telegraph confirmed Fiennes was on board the flight on January 24. He occupied seat 2K in business class.