What happened
A 45-year-old Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) captain was arrested at Nice-Côte d’Azur airport on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, after testing positive for cocaine during a routine spot check by the Air Transport Gendarmerie. He was sentenced the next day to a 10-month suspended prison sentence and a one-year ban on overflying French territory. The immediate operational impact was the cancellation of return flight SK1828 from Nice to Stockholm, as the captain was unable to operate. Passengers were rebooked or housed in Nice. Under EC261/2004 rules, these passengers are eligible for compensation. The article also references previous substance abuse incidents involving British Airways and Japan Airlines crews