A British pilot has been arrested by Italian police for holding his passengers hostage after he refused to let them leave his aircraft until someone admitted smoking in the lavatory.

The captain of the low-budget Go flight to Milan was told that a steward had discovered that a smoke detector had been blocked, but did not know who the culprit was.

On landing at Malpensa airport, Captain Brian Bliss told passengers on Flight 127 from Stansted that no one was leaving his aircraft until the guilty person had confessed. Smoking is banned on the airline, the new low-cost subsidiary of British Airways but no one on the flight - which included a rowdy group of Italian students - owned up.

After 40 minutes, before Captain Bliss could take the matter further, the plane was boarded by Italian police and officials and he was arrested for allegedly taking his passengers hostage. A Go spokeswoman said: "Our pilot took the matter very seriously. If a cigarette stub caused a fire, the consequences could have been disastrous."

The passenger had care-fully blocked the detector with tissue paper and a cigarette packet in "a highly irresponsible act".

Go confirmed that Captain Bliss, 57, had 37 years' experience and had been with BA for 16 years. He joined Go earlier this year.

Italian police have mounted an investigation into Capt Bliss's action. The smoker, however, escaped detection.

© Associated Newspapers Ltd., 27 July 1998
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