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Home » Delta Air Lines » Delta Air Lines Investigating Pilot Who Blamed Pete Buttigieg For Flight Delay
Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines Investigating Pilot Who Blamed Pete Buttigieg For Flight Delay

Matthew Klint Posted onJanuary 3, 2023November 13, 2023 48 Comments

a person wearing a black hat with gold leaves and a red triangle on it

Delta Air Lines is investigating reports that a pilot blamed a flight delay on US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Pilot Who Allegedly Blamed Pete Buttigieg For Flight Delay Is Under Investigation By Delta Air Lines

Air Traffic Control issues grounded many planes in Florida on Monday. While the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) addressed the issue, flights into and out of Florida faced delays.

One Delta pilot in Atlanta (ATL) reportedly blamed the ground delay on Secretary Buttigieg, allegedly telling passengers that DL2274 to Fort Meyers (RSW) was delayed due to a ground stop that the Transportation Secretary was at fault for. According to Newsweek, that allegation came from a tweet from Stewart Lucas, one of the passengers onboard.

“@Delta it is not okay for the pilot of flight 2274 ATL-RSW to blame a Florida ground stop on @PeteButtigieg. Completely unacceptable political dig just made twice at gate over loud speaker.”

A Delta spokesperson simply shared, “Delta will look into this allegation.”

Here’s the deal, pilots: in a divided nation, you don’t get political because you’re likely going to offend half the plane. That’s bad for business.

Period.

Doesn’t matter if you are right or wrong. This isn’t a free speech issue…not when you are wearing the uniform of a company that is trying to appeal to the whole nation (indeed, the whole world) in part by trying to avoid offending a large segment of your customer base.

This reminds me of the “Let’s Go Brandon” incident on Southwest Airlines in late 2021. Even if it may have resonated and drawn a chuckle from 2/3 of the plane, it was unprofessional (considering what the crude meaning of that phrase is) and unnecessarily alienating even a small section of your customer base makes little sense.

CONCLUSION

A Delta pilot is under investigation for reportedly blaming a flight delay on Pete Buttigieg. The pilot’s quip upset a passenger, who complained to Delta, who is now looking further into the incident. For me, the incident is a reminder that pilots should exercise discernment and avoid alienating passengers through unnecessarily partisan rhetoric.


image: Delta Air Lines

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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48 Comments

  1. david k Reply
    January 3, 2023 at 8:54 am

    Oh give me a break. Remember all of the masking abuse that flight attendants let loose on passengers? It was extremely unprofessional, abusive, and 100% political but we all put up with it.

    • Aaron Reply
      January 3, 2023 at 10:37 am

      Was it abusive or was it policy?

    • K Helldoge Reply
      January 4, 2023 at 12:57 am

      This is totally different, moron.

  2. Malik on Wall Street Reply
    January 3, 2023 at 8:55 am

    In before the politicos in the comments start arguing. When will people realize that blaming the other side of aisle won’t fix anything?

  3. Dave Edwards Reply
    January 3, 2023 at 9:17 am

    I agree with Malik it won’t fix anything but damn it’s funny and we all could use more of that. And I would say the same if a pilot blamed Trump or any other conservative. We need to stop being so “offended” by people having different beliefs than us.

    Now if he would have added that Pete tried to fix it but couldn’t get the gerbil out of his ass fast enough, that would have been REALLY funny.

    • Aaron Reply
      January 3, 2023 at 10:36 am

      You just need to let your homophobia show…

      • Dave Edwards Reply
        January 3, 2023 at 12:52 pm

        So I’ll bite. Are you saying homosexuals are known for sending gerbils and hamsters up their asses? Otherwise why would you automatically associate my comment with that made up phrase of far leftists like yourself Aaron? Not sure if you are a bone smuggler or not, but come on, lighten up and laugh occasionally. And understand you are not the arbitrator of what others find funny.

    • Total Reply
      January 3, 2023 at 12:29 pm

      Wow, you’re a homophobic jerk.

      • Dave Edwards Reply
        January 3, 2023 at 12:56 pm

        “Homophobic” is a made up word that means nothing but you people keep using it like it matters. You know, like the names you gave Trump and others. They mean NOTHING, but if it makes you feel better, by all means keep saying them and making accusations. Most Balloon Knot Bandits don’t care what others call them.

    • John Reply
      January 3, 2023 at 1:08 pm

      Wow. All i can say is “wow”. Would you be making a comment like that if it wasn’t anonymous?

      • Dave Edwards Reply
        January 3, 2023 at 1:46 pm

        Absolutely, it’s exactly the world Social Media created. Don’t you ever read FB or Twitter? “Famous” people on both the left and right make crazy, stupid comments daily.

        It’s not just the pro/anti Pillow Biters and Cadbury Canal Cowboys.

        • Kevin Reply
          January 3, 2023 at 10:52 pm

          Lol, Thanks Dave, I needed that this morning, best comment of the day!

  4. Jan Reply
    January 3, 2023 at 10:06 am

    I mean, it’s true. Buttigieg hasn’t written enough strongly worded letters to stop the flight delays.

  5. Mark Reply
    January 3, 2023 at 10:07 am

    It’s more than politics. This is the behavior that pilots exhibit today because they can. We’ve all seen snippets of internal message boards where pilots say things that any of us would expect to be terminated over. They have the ability to say whatever they want and get away with it because they are in such high demand and their union reps will always protect them.

  6. Santastico Reply
    January 3, 2023 at 10:08 am

    I don’t disagree with your point that getting into politics at work is very stupid. However, I can understand the frustration of this pilot and I don’t even see this as a partisan issue but as a frustration on the lack of competence of Pete Buttigieg. Seriously, the guy is useless and hasn’t done anything since he was appointed to this job. I would see pilots that are both Democrat and Republican very frustrated in having an incompetent guy as the Transportation Secretary.

    • Billy Bob Reply
      January 3, 2023 at 11:43 am

      Be very specific and let us all know what a transportation secretary normally does that Pete is not doing. I’ll hang up and listen

      • Santastico Reply
        January 3, 2023 at 11:46 am

        I don’t have his job description but I would expect him to get his head out of his ass and at least show some proactiveness. The guy is useless and we all know why he has this role.

        • Stuart Reply
          January 3, 2023 at 12:10 pm

          That was the funniest defense I’ve ever read in my life. I actually spit out my coffee laughing! At first you go on about how bad Pete is and when challenged for specifics you come up with the classic, “I don’t know what his job description is.” Nor do most who love ranting on Pete. Hilarious!

          To me, this is a sign that the Right Wing base that looks for any reason to attack him is actually scared of Mayor Pete. And well you should be as he is an incredibly intelligent moderate with excellent communication skills and savvy political instincts. Y’all did the same with Obama. You just can’t stand it when the voice of reason is smarter than you, especially if they are a different color or, god forbid, gay.

          • Santastico
            January 3, 2023 at 12:49 pm

            @Stuart. Happy New Year to you too. Hope you keep your hormones in balance this year and don’t miss any Covid booster or other medications that may impair your ability to respond to my posts. I eagerly wait for your responses everyday. Keep up the good work.

            As for Pete, the only concern I have is that he may be inclined to have a hammer party with Sam Briton and we know that those parties can be dangerous.

    • Terry Reply
      January 3, 2023 at 4:22 pm

      Pete is doing a much better job the Elaine Cho. Why no comments about her poor performance

      • ALan Reply
        January 4, 2023 at 5:30 pm

        Because all the American Right can do now is despise the American Left. Lack of evidence never stops them. The hate is the entire platform. Neither the Delta pilot nor the hateful commenters can explain why they think Buttigieg is any worse than Cho. They simply flail with hate.

  7. Chi Hsuan Reply
    January 3, 2023 at 10:28 am

    God forbid he question the regime’s diversity hire half wit.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      January 3, 2023 at 10:45 am

      He can do that all day long, as long as he is not in uniform representing his employer.

      • Chi Hsuan Reply
        January 3, 2023 at 1:12 pm

        I find that distinction dubious since airlines, and airline employees, get political, and often. Ed Bastian can run his mouth on gun control and the BLM rioters but a lowly pilot can’t voice his frustration with the regime? I can’t help but think that there would be no “investigation” if the pilot had a corporate-approved opinion.

        • Matthew Klint Reply
          January 3, 2023 at 3:35 pm

          That may be and that is a different matter. But recall that I also condemned Delta here for its stance on the NRA.

    • Pete Reply
      January 3, 2023 at 2:16 pm

      I take it from your name you were on the short end of some diversity hires?

  8. Joe Reply
    January 3, 2023 at 11:38 am

    Well, the delay was caused by a breakdown in the air traffic control operation (ATO). ATO is part of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA is under the Department of Transportation (DOT). Pete Buttigieg is head of the DOT.

    So the pilot was 100 percent correct.

    Likewise the airline will be correct in disciplining him, because ultimately people no longer want to hear who’s at fault unless it’s the “other” guy.

    • Stuart Reply
      January 3, 2023 at 12:20 pm

      You are ignoring the fact that the air traffic control system in this country has been antiquated and running on fumes for decades now. Long before Pete was here. Further that they have serious staffing issues which this antiquated system can’t compensate for. Yes, Pete is responsible to a degree in improving this. But so was Chao before and all of the others going back to the Reagan administration. This will require years of money and work to fix and if anyone is on it and working towards solutions I would bet on Pete over any in the past. Bottom line is that this takes money. And Republicans do anything they can to stall or block spending money so as not to tax their wealthy constituents more. Then they complain about things not working . This is like a constitutionalist who hasn’t paid taxes in ten years complaining that he only gets trash pickup once a week.

      • Jon Reply
        January 3, 2023 at 12:39 pm

        “I would bet on Pete over any in the past.”

        Stuart, I am curious as to what would make you bet on Pete versus his predecessors?

        I agree that Pete is obviously incredibly intelligent, speaks multiple languages, is well-credentialed, etc., but aren’t a lot of politicians very smart people? What makes him specifically capable of solving the transportation issues in our country?

        As far as I can recall, in his previous position as a mayor in Indiana, there weren’t any major logistical achievements that were significantly noteworthy. Perhaps I am missing something.

        I am a moderate, unregistered voter, who has voted for more Democrats, but I feel strongly that neither party has a monopoly on right or wrong or has all of the solutions to our problems. I find our world a bit more complicated than that.

        • Jake K Reply
          January 3, 2023 at 4:56 pm

          Like many things political, I think it’s a matter of personal resonance. I liked Secretary Chao and she certainly had much deeper qualifications for the job, given her extensive and relevant business and political background, than the current Secretary. However, Secretary Buttigieg strikes me as a more earnest and sensible person who genuinely wants to solve problems, and makes me feel more confident that he will do so by carefully considering the issue and approach solutions based on merits rather than political considerations. This is unavoidably subjective, of course, and perhaps too biased towards communication skills than actual substance. Again, it’s just how a person’s message resonates with one’s own sensibilities. I don’t believe that any Secretary of Transportation would have foreseen nor prevented Southwest’s meltdown, but I do believe Secretary Buttigieg’s subsequent actions made a significant difference in motivating Southwest’s recovery and likely their future investment plans to better align with their customers’ interests. I am not sure, given Secretary Chao’s more pro-business perspective, if she would have been as effective in this situation.

  9. Gravelly Point Guy Reply
    January 3, 2023 at 11:55 am

    I think I’ll come down to agreeing both with Aaron and Matt on this one. Whether or no PB is competent or not to hold his job, this wasn’t either the time or place or venue to air your political grievances. It is not only downright irresponsible and unprofessional, but also dangerous. What if someone kept some pent up resentment after takeoff and starts going a wall. Mutiny at 35000 ft?? No thanks!!!

  10. DEE Reply
    January 3, 2023 at 2:40 pm

    I am sure the passenger complaining is a lib left=winger..

    • Mike Reply
      January 3, 2023 at 10:19 pm

      Of course. And probably the same type person who took no hostages when criticizing the previous administration at any time of day, 365 days a year to any audience incompetent and desperate enough to buy his hate.

  11. Terry Kozma Reply
    January 3, 2023 at 4:24 pm

    I do not expect ever hear a political comment from any employee on my flight

    • Mike Reply
      January 3, 2023 at 10:24 pm

      How about F*** Trump from Democrat congressmen?
      How did that work for you?

  12. JRS Reply
    January 3, 2023 at 8:03 pm

    So if he said “this delay isn’t controllable by us, and I would direct your complaints to Pete Buttigeg and the Acting FAA Administratir” what’s a) inappropriate and b) inaccurate?

  13. KJK Reply
    January 3, 2023 at 8:29 pm

    Well, actually it was Trump who approved FAA funding through October 2023. So you can blame him for their continued failure to modernize and improve the ATC system.

    https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2018/october/05/president-trump-signs-multi-year-faa-reauthorization-bill

    • JRS Reply
      January 5, 2023 at 12:02 pm

      Incorrect. That’s the authorization bill which sets the limits Congress can spend. The money then needs to be spent in the Appropriations bill, which is the actual spending. In other words, you can authorize a trillion dollars and appropriate zero dollars.

  14. Mike Reply
    January 3, 2023 at 10:12 pm

    It’s so amusing to hear about how wrong it is to bad mouth politicians in this administration. Less than 3 years ago it was popular and applauded (especially by the media and any blog writer) to denigrate Trump, his family (even his minor son) his administration and anyone who vocally or financially supported them regardless of what they said, did or didn’t do. Hypocrisy reigns supreme in this country.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      January 4, 2023 at 12:03 am

      Examples from LALF?

  15. DFWSteve Reply
    January 3, 2023 at 10:19 pm

    So has it become a criminal offense to criticize anyone or anything associated with the Biden administration? Sounds like dangerous demagoguery to me.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      January 4, 2023 at 12:04 am

      It’s not a criminal offense but the last thing an airline needs is a pilot spouting off about how bad Trump is or Biden is.

      • DFWSteve Reply
        January 4, 2023 at 8:03 am

        Political opinion still falls under the protection of free speech (does anyone remember what that is? Or even care?) Sorry, Matthew, but people are too quick to take offense at opinions with which they disagree.

        • ALan Reply
          January 4, 2023 at 5:32 pm

          Taking offense at things people say is the outcome of free speech. The pilot wants to step into the fray on company time, he earns the blowback.

  16. Ksa63 Reply
    January 4, 2023 at 3:48 am

    The comments are so entertaining.

    • Scott Reply
      January 5, 2023 at 2:37 pm

      Really? I actually find them kind of sad. I know this is the kind of engagement that Matthew wants, since it drives clicks, but it’s why I’ve gone from reading daily to reading once a month or so.

  17. Dave Edwards Reply
    January 4, 2023 at 7:52 am

    Wait until we get the story on Petey using a government plane to fly to Europe for a sporting event with his boy toy and join the reverse mile high club.

    The comments will be golden.

  18. Aniljak Reply
    January 6, 2023 at 5:07 am

    An Australian Pilot on a domestic flight once nearly grounded his airline after blaming delay on ATC! Trouble was plane was full of Air Traffic Controllers on way to conference including their top Bosses. Everyone could see baggage and fuel still being loaded.
    Apolgy demanded from pilot and airline boss or atc would ground airline! Needless to say very quickly got it!

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