United Airlines passengers stunned to see the pilot take off and fall asleep in first class

Passengers from an airplane bound for Glasgow from New Jersey were shocked when a pilot took off his uniform and went for a nap in first class.

The United Airlines pilot sat an hour after the seven-hour transatlantic trip from Newark, New Jersey.

The passengers concerned were concerned that the pilot's actions posed a security risk.

The incident occurred on flight UA161, which left the Liberty International Airport at 19:40 on August 22 and arrived at Glasgow Airport at 7:30 the next day.

The flight was under the control of a crew of three men.

A retired police inspector, now working as a security advisor, took a picture of the captain after he put on his uniform and nodded to his bed.

He told the Daily Record: "The captain went to the restroom and changed t-shirts before going to sleep in first class.

"When he woke up, he resumed his uniform and communicated by radio to access the cockpit.

"The police have trouble being photographed sleeping in a patrol car.

"I do not think the captain of a flight filled with hundreds of people should be in such a vulnerable position.

"He slept an hour and a half, then the first officer went to sleep. The flight lasted about seven hours.

"If the pilots need to rest in midair, they should do it away from the passengers. I have traveled a lot in the United States and I have never witnessed that.

A member of the cabin crew who works for a major airline, who wished to remain anonymous, said, "This is not a procedure I recognize.

"It seems very unusual for a captain to take off his uniform during a flight.

"It also seems strange that a pilot has what is called a flat rest on a flight of less than 11 hours.

"Usually, they would take a spare seat in business class, but often the pilots would rest in the cockpit.

"It is understandable that some passengers are concerned."

Aviation expert David Learmount has described it as "the most unusual".

He said: "It seems that the crew member has an organized rest.

"Sometimes airlines operate with an increased crew – these are three pilots when two are needed. But they usually do not do this when flying between the US East Coast and the UK. "

United Airlines said: "On transatlantic flights, pilots need to take a break. This plane is operated by a crew of three and his pilot was at rest.