I should just give the pilot the benefit of the doubt and let it go, but I cannot help it…calling yourself “God” and demanding obedience strikes me as highly narcissistic and ultimately unhelpful. But that’s what an American Airlines pilot did after a passenger refused to wear a mask onboard.
Captain Refers To Himself As “God” On American Airlines Flight After Mask Disturbance
After a passenger was removed for refusing to wear a mask, the captain attempted curtail any further misbehavior by declaring himself God:
“The job of the captain of this aircraft is to get you somewhere safely. That’s my job. So we have the mask policy. We have to comply with it. If we’ve got somebody who doesn’t want to comply we’re not gonna [unintelligible]. It’s not up for discussion. It’s not a negotiation.
“And on this aircraft I’m God. I decide what happens and we can do it the easy way or the hard way. And at least this fella decided to get off. We had two cops waiting outside to do it the hard way and I’m glad we didn’t have to do that.
“And again I don’t want to get into political statements. We all have our feelings about that. Let’s just try to get along.”
Pilot goes off on anti-maskers who caused a delay and needed to be escorted off the plane. from PublicFreakout
It’s very true that captains are in charge. Authority falls upon them and their decision is final. If a captain is not comfortable with you onboard, you’re off. A captain is ultimately responsible for the safety of everyone onboard.
In that sense, a lowercase “G” spelling of god is somewhat appropriate, as in “the person in charge.” But his language, at least to me, suggests he was misappropriating the Abrahamic God (hermeneutics on the actual name of God aside). I also thought his language bordered on narcissism and the sort-of heavy-handed tactics that make me roll my eyes instead of clap. If he had said, “On this aircraft, I’m the god” (or king or lord) I wouldn’t have given it a second thought.
Full disclosure: I’m a Christian. While I’m not the kind who believes he must impose his view on anyone, it doesn’t stop me from recoiling at sacrilegious talk. I can shake my head at word choice without being an “easily-offended snowflake” and simply point out that such language is something I will teach my kids not use.
But even so, I think the pilot meant well and simply intended to dissuade any additional mask violations onboard. So fine, we just move on. No protests or decapitations necessary. Still, I hope the captain will choose his words more carefully next time.
What is your view on the incident? Should the captain have spoken in the manner in which he did?
(H/T: View From The Wing)
Captain Matt Damon has instituted SKY LAW!
The captain sounds like a fool.
Several possibilities:
1. Pilot is bipolar.
2. Microphone malfunction just like Neil Armstrong on the Moon. (One small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind)
3. He risks blasphemy and he’ll.
4. Americans lack history knowledge so if he said he was Fuhrer nobody would get it that he just said he was a Hitler.
Or maybe you’re just a nut….
You are most definitely being an easily-offended snowflake. Was it a little extreme? Possibly, but these airline workers have to put up with constant nonsense from anti-maskers.
I 100% agree with you.
I thoroughly agree w you. I would have used the term “sheriff “ but it’s a matter of semantics to me. Airline staff are treated like garbage by the general public.
He is the man in charge. But God? Far from it. Have you noticed all the bad PR AA has been getting lately? Knew I should if held off on the stock buy.
I have no problem with what he said. It was a metaphor.
Narcissistic airline employees are hardly rare.
Masking is a simple requirement. Don’t want to do it? Don’t fly. Checking your ‘rights’ at the airport curb is hardly a new phenomenon. It’s been the norm at least the past 20 years. Don’t like it? Don’t fly.
Want to protest? Make a sign and hold it up outside the airport?
Thats right people want things to open up and travel but cases are going up and up. We’re tired of it, airline employees, & hotel’s employees. Dont want to wear a mask drive your own car. Had no problem wearing my mask to Italy last wednesday. No one want to follow the rules unless they themselves want to break them.
Why are aviation/airline authors trying so hard to undermine crew decisions regarding safety and security on-board? That’s their primary duty. To safely operate the flight. Yes, there are service standards, but those are out the door when safety or security is compromised. They did, what needed to be done how it needed to be done in the moment. Stop focusing so much on critiquing crew actions and rather focus on the inappropriate and illegal behavior folks are conducting on board.
One does not necessarily justify the other…
What the hell are you talking about? Explain
Jose, you are spot on. It’s called Admiralty Law and it applies to aircraft.
Readers are being played like a fiddle. If one keeps track of articles on any of these blogs, they all feed off of each other’s articles — repeat, repeat, repeat. And, they are all sensational — click bait. It’s all about volume of content, which drives web stats, which drives ads, which drives revenues. I’m not certain they even care what sticks to the wall.
On some blogs, they reissue their past articles . . . but forget to update them. References to Starwood’s hotel loyalty program or Relais’s hotel loyalty program, which no longer exist. Articles about seating charts on American Airlines’ 757 and 767. Are you . . . kidding . . . me.
Extremely disappointing. Outta here.
Oh, Jose, I know you. You yelled at me once for walking through the galley from my seat in business class to get access to the vacant bathroom. I remember what you said that day, “Do that again and I will report you as a security threat.”
Primarily because they’re the help. I know it’s harsh, but I’m not bowing down to some bus driver, neither am I to the bus driver who happens to sit in an aircraft.
Honey, you’re the help, no matter how many buttons you press to get us up there. Shush. You ain’t god.
Wow taking a cue from Gary “Karen” Leff.
To echo Tom, this is an age-old expression that is used all the time to mean I am in ultimate control of this area. Which for a pilot is the truth.
I don’t know if this is hyper-PC, Karenism or what…but I expected better here.
So he is a completely fictional, made up, non existent woman? Why does anyone care he likens himself to her? Now if he said Santa Claus I’d put my mask on.
And let’s not exclude the Easter Bunny.
I respect bn the author’beliefs and religion, but I also believe that this article is just another example of someone looking for something to complain and call someone else out for. I also believe that he is reading WAAAAYYUUU too mucb into it. When read in context , the pilot was just explaining the rules and who is the final arbiter. seems very simple unless you just have nothing better to do than look for fake issues. Very sad to see this taking up space in my news feed…..
.
He should have said “On this plane I’m Stalin” or “I’m H!tler” or some such, because those are people who presided over captive subjects who had no choice but to follow arbitrary rules or face swift and harsh punishment with no recourse.
The pilot spoke with dramatic effect to drive the point home that the rules apply to everyone, he will enforce the rules, and he’s damn tired of having to enforce this same rule over an over. I’ve dealt with a toddler all day today and completely understand.
Tough call. But I’ve been in a leadership position 25 plus years and really good leaders just don’t talk that way. But yet at the same time he was dealt with a weird situation. Yet anybody in command who’s worth a *&$@ never uses the word “I” if they can avoid it. So I think it was a little over the top. But I will take that decisiveness any day over some pilot who hems and haws about political correctness etc. and can’t make a decision
Let’s be honest. Only insecure losers speak like this. I make harder calls dozens of times a day.
What happened dude? Did your wife run off with a pilot? You sound bitter…..
Baba Booey
Every pilot on every flight is, in a literal sense “god”, or “God” as the case may be. I respect your beliefs Matthew and as no religion can be proven to be “right”, they all can be “wrong”. There have been many “G/gods” throughout human history and nearly everyone meant something to their followers. I was reading a book a while ago that supposed that gods were alive as long as someone believed in them. When the followers left them the god ended up in a netherworld, neglected and forgotten. To me at least, the pilot of the plane I’m on is “G/god” for the duration of the flight. After all, I’m trusting my life to him/her at that time. Peace.
My best friend is a retired Delta Captain. His wife is a surgical nurse and catholic. She always points out that she suffers under 3 Gods……….
The pilot seems to be a danger to self and others. He is suffering from a delusion and should not be allowed to fly a plane. Pilots are responsible for aircraft and flight safety but that does not mean they are allowed to violate the rights of passengers. The biggest risk to flight safety are mentally unstable pilots who have locked cockpit doors to protect them when doing harm. We saw the danger of locked cockpit doors with the eurowings flight where the pilot committed suicide and took all passengers along with him.
This pilot is wrong about rules and regulations. Cabin crew have the ability to ignore the enforcement of excessive/draconian/outrageous/abusive orders/laws like mask laws that criminalize a person not wearing a mask between sips of water. If cabin crew didn’t enforce ridiculous government rules, those rules would be nothing but words. It’s the same principle with cops who choose to enforce laws of politicians and judges when they can decide not to pull someone over for not wearing a seat belt, not arrest someone for speech in Europe, not arrest Christians for going to church, or not stop someone for possessing drugs.
Many people take it as a joke but taking the lord’s name in vein is a serious sin. This pilot opened up a spot in hell with his blasphemy.
Oh Jesus Christ!! I am sick of you religious people constantly demanding we live by your standards your religion… And your beliefs… Why should we follow your rules that your so-called God gave you to live by? One day we’re all God’s children right?? He loves everyone right? But he only loves you if you serve him, if you follow his bat crazy rules, and if you’re Christian. Oh and also it’s okay to kill as long as it’s in his name.. but thou shall not kill right? I respect your right to believe what you want I respect the right for anyone to believe what they want.. whatever helps them get through.. but everyone is sick and tired of you people trying to push your belief on to other people and force them to live by your rules that your God gave you.. why don’t you focus on yourself and your family or whatever… So you can get into “heaven” and let other people live their lives.. you guys like to make other people’s life decisions and lifestyles your own problem like it’s affecting you personally and disrupting your life.. oh you don’t like gays?? Oh and you’re pro-life? Are the gays sitting there in front of your house doing it every morning for you to watch, disrupting your very livelihood? No but you guys like to make it seem like they are.. oh no abortions pro-life pro-life… Until they’re born and then that goes out the window. Stop trying to be God and tell people how they should live and how they should act.. but if it bothers you that much then pray for that man.. otherwise stick with your little church group and your church people.. because you are going to have a heart attack or something because Jesus Christ!! There’s a lot of people out there and a lot of words that you may not like
It was a bit tasteless but factually pretty much correct. Just let it go.
The pilot is a Non Story. You trying to stir up opinions about his use of God or god is a part of what’s wrong in this country. Just let the man do his job and keep the crazies off the planes!
“ Many people take it as a joke but taking the lord’s name in vein is a serious sin.”
WRONG.
It is actually “name in VAIN”
Jesus Christ, y’all need to learn how to use the correct spelling (and/or word) or your credibility as a religious scholar goes right out the window.
Click bait title… If you listen to the announcement it is obvious the guy is just trying to make a point.
Context, context,context.
The pilot had just had a jackass removed from the plane. There were two cops waiting outside.
Now pilot gets back inside, goes back into the flight deck, climbs back into the seat, and with combination of exasperation, irritation, and wry impatience, he delivers that speech. Basically, don’t even think about f’ing with me now. ”
You can argue that it was a little too ripe, but for me this is all much to do about nothing.
God loves this pilot, but everyone else thinks he’s an A-Hole
That’s the [redacted by admin] problem with AA. Only there would find such righteous, authoritative parlance!! These [redacted by admin] alwaysthink like they’re an airline transporting prisoners or dangerous goods! For [redacted by admin] sake it’s people.It’s passengers and they just love putting on this Dirty Harry type of show just to show you who’s boss!! Just quit, just quit!!You people are in the service industry, the service industry. You are mere servants, mere servants!! If you can’t stand the thought, just [redacted by admin] leave!!
“A man curses because he doesn’t have the words to express himself”-Malcom X
“…well it may be the devil,or it maybe the Lord,but you’re gonna have to serve somebody”-Bob Dylan
Matthew this article is click bait and its people like you that are on the rise and out causing hate in the country. You have truly shown your true colors Matthew of what I suspected all this time!
After seeing the comment posted by Gravelly Point Guy I now know my suspicion was correct. How could his comment be considered appropriate with such language. You have hit rock bottom and should be banned unless you change your racist views and click baiting tactics.
Lets see if you post this!
It slipped through, but we don’t allow profanity.
This is the reality. On any boat, the captain is god. In any courtroom, the judge is, on planes. the pilot, in the operating room, the surgeon is. When a solider or policeman or robber has a gun pointed at you, they are gods. The list goes on and on. I don’t have any respect for the faithful because religions are only fictions extending from stone age and bronze age explanations of the world. We have a far better understanding of these things now. Yes the pilot is god, put your mask on and leave your politics and stupidity at home. It’s a pandemic. What kind of idiot doesn’t get that?
True, in a figurative sense he is “god” on the aircraft but in a literal sense, no he’s not. It was in poor taste for the Captain to make that statement. Having worked for several airlines my past life I have met many captains who were truly down to earth people, and many that were absolutely the most egotistical.
Worth reading ……. “Sky Gods, the Fall of Pan Am” by Robert Gandt. Compelling, you may not be able to put it down.
First understand AA requires pilots to read the mask policy to passengers. If you don’t that is willful non compliance and you simply are fired.
AA during the 80’s hired a big lot of dufuses that could not get jobs at TWA,DAL,Pan-Am CON and NWA. They were offered “B” scale wage and took it. During that time their interview process was not about hiring the best they were more interested in what your Grandparents died from and your stool samples. I interviewed back in the day with all and AA was bizzarro. So you have a slug of these guys now commanding the Jets at AA. AA is the bottom safety record in the files at NTSB and has killed more than Aeroflot. Go Look. It is their culture. And as bad as it was it, it is now heading for WOKEville.
The job has and becomes more complex every day. Just keeping the iPads legal is a challenge. Useless union, hostile WOKE management. AA is a mess for all employees. Basically things suck on the line and the Captain is not in the mood for mask violators. In fact if he had to become involved I am sure it was exceptional because there are many barriers to a Captain gettin involved with this or any direct passenger contact. The workload to get a flight out simply does not allow this.
So for a moment consider the job. Taking a highly complex plane, fill it with people and fly it into weather and land in rain or fog a thousand miles from where you took off. And do that perfect tens of thousands of times a day. Pilots have no nonsense personalities. Just keep the mask on and there is no issue. If you don’t then drive. If you don’t like the mask policy then vote out the morons you elected.
There is zero evidence that a scrap of paper of cloth saves you from a virus. It is all about accepting control over your life. If anyone out there can provide evidence a mask helps then please share it. The CHICOM masks have nano graphing particles installed in them. These are designed to cause lung issues. Resist as you can but you will not win once you enter airport property.
Three day trips are brutal at anytime. It was a poor choice of words, but, his heart is in the right place. If you wont respect the Law/Orders given to passengers? Don’t fly. Its so rude to deal with entitled people anymore. Its a huge problem. A few hrs with a mask on may not be pleasant, why are you flying then?
Its a common expression. You need to be capable of basic human conversation or you will have trouble everywhere. The Captain was making his point impossible to misunderstand, and he was 100% correct. And now cleverness and self righteousness searches for even more ways to understand. Whoever misunderstood that Captain was the obnoxious fool, not the Captain. He was placed in that position by everyone who bought a ticket. If they can’t understand that, they should walk instead.
Ha I said the exact same thing they need to walk
Wow! You are too easily offended! You’re a Christian, okay… Sorry he didn’t say I am the god of this plane.. didn’t know he had to run by you what you thought was appropriate so you won’t be offended.. you should be more offended that the guy who refused to put a mask on endangering the lives and health of other passengers on board, as well as the fact this individual can’t follow the rules. Maybe he believes (pilot) he’s his own God and what not.. but your “God” apparently created his rules that he wants his followers to follow.. (unless it’s another religion then throw those rules out the window) pro-life unless it’s somebody who is no longer in the womb or your fellow human beings who don’t live by his rules.. so he is God of that plane.. and so be it.. if it was that offensive to your religion or whatever then you should have just got off the plane and don’t communicate or travel anywhere because Jesus Christ! Like oh my God!!! Not everybody has to bow to the likes of you Christians or any other religion why should we have to follow your rules and your language to make it proper so it’s not offensive to you? We live in a society where people can think and believe what they want as long as it harms no one else and they follow rules of society.. your God was a murderer in my opinion.. and even if he did, doesn’t seem like he’s helping much down here. NEXT TIME YOU GET OFFENDED BY SOMETHING THAT’S NOT YOUR CHRISTIAN WAY.. ASK YOURSELF HOW IS THIS AFFECTING MY LIFE PERSONALLY? IS IT MESSING YOUR INCOME UP? IS HE BANGING ON YOUR DOOR DEMANDING YOU CALL HIM GOD INTERRUPTING YOUR LIVELIHOOD? THE GAY COUPLE ON TV, ARE THEY AFFECTING YOUR LIFE PERSONALLY ARE THEY DOING IT IN FRONT OF YOU? Stop making it about you it’s not about you.. next time walk
TWA John . A mask prevents or slows viral transmission in most instances. Its not a cure, Asymptomatic transmission is the leading cause of Covid. Not wearing a mask “ cause I feel fine, don’t believe in Covid etc”… is irresponsible behaviour. Having a lack of concern and empathy for others is the new normal. I want to ditch my mask too… when I feel safe, and presently this is not happening anytime soon.
TWA John, I sincerely hope you’re the kind of pilot who will forgo getting off the airplane first to make your commuter flight so that you can help the cabin crew fill out the paperwork and file charges on non-compliant passengers. I hope you’re the kind of guy who recognizes that we have hundreds of years of experience (on a wide body international flight) and that we can handle almost any problem thrown our way — but if we need to call on you to be “THE CAPTAIN”, the final arbiter, the “decider”, that you’ll back us up and do what it takes to make things right. Your first statement about the pilots at American Airlines do my friends and colleagues a huge disservice and insult a group of fine, hard-working, knowledgeable safety professionals. So I hope you are the paragon you indicate you are.
This is literally taught at the beginning of train and it’s literally the expression used over and over again. Google it:
>> regulations gave the pilot in command (PIC) -while in flight – the final responsibility and authority of the aircraft and crew members. So during the flight the aircraft captain is basically a god. If the situation requires, he/she can deviate from any rule to ensure safety of the passengers and the crew members.Aug 14, 2019
https://aviationvoice.com › what-kin…
What Kind Of Legal Authorities Does Captain Have During The Flight?
To further Reiterate. It’s taught as the god regulation. Taught by your government employees. Here’s the begging if the regulation:
U.S. FAA FAR 121.533(e) gives broad and complete final authority to airline captains: “Each pilot in command has full control and authority in the operation of the aircraft, without limitation, over other crewmembers and their duties during flight time, whether or not he holds valid certificates authorizing him to …
the obvious intention is,,,,,THIS IS NOT A DEMOCRACY, MY way or the highway. you literally have to check a box agreeing to wear the mask before you can process a ticket purchase so the customer is noncompliant, and in breach of contract
why shift the spotlight away from the root problem, the customers repeated refusal to comply with public safety laws and federal CDC guidelines, and shift focus to someone just trying to keep everyone safe (albeit blasphemous)
I knew you when, dear Rockland, and the world is a better place because of you. You taught me well when I was a baby f/a, and although I stopped flying as a passenger because I got so scared of creepy passengers, my safe time in the air had apparently run out, I still have great memories of my time with you, and specifically, Captain Cowboy, whose obit really didn’t capture his essence. Take care you old beauty.
a rose by any other name…..God or not, he holds 300 lives in his hands at that moment, picking a fight might not be prudent. hopefully God gave you more sense than that
You didn’t get offended but you felt the need to write a whole article about it? Sure, keep telling yourself whatever you need to tell yourself. As they say, actions speak louder than words, you just disproved your own words.
There’s a difference between a discussion and offense.
You call yourself an “Aviation Journalist” or “Blogger” or even a “Flyer”? A little background here… “god of the vessel” is steeped deep in Maritime history/culture and holds true today in aviation. The pilot is not referring to “God” as you alluded to. Wow. You might want to think about doing some homework before you write your “next expert article”.
when you feel the need to tell us your religion to contextualize (?) these sorts of things, it’s prolly time to take a break from writing (these sorts of things)
We live in an increasingly post-Christian world. Just making it obvious.
The time I’ve had trouble was when I had to surrender my iPad “during takeoff and landing.” I f they told me I had to strip naked “just during takeoff and landing,” would I have to do it?