Yesterday I (properly) criticized the pilot on Southwest Airlines who decided to add a “Let’s go Brandon” quip to his in-flight welcome announcement. Today I want focus on odd additional twist—the conduct of the reporter onboard who called herself “insane” on Twitter after the flight.
About That Reporter On Southwest Airlines “Let’s Go Brandon” Flight
I’m not going to lay out the “Let’s go Brandon” backstory again…you can read that here. But this particular flight made headlines because there happened to be an Associated Press reporter name Colleen Long who also happened to be writing a story on that very phrase.
Apparently, Long got a bit aggressive once the captain made that statement and asked that “cock pit” (sic) door be opened so that she could speak to the pilot. It isn’t clear if this happened on the ground or in the air, but it’s reasonable to deduce this happened in the air because she admitted that she almost got removed from the plane and added, “Also in defense of airline, I was asking them to open locked cock pit and probably sounded insane.”
TFW you’re trying to go on vacation and then the pilot says the very thing you’re working on over the loud speaker and you have to try to get him comment but then almost get removed from plane. https://t.co/xZI5FtLzJB
— Colleen Long (@ctlong1) October 30, 2021
Also in defense of airline I was asking them to open locked cock pit and probably sounded insane!
— Colleen Long (@ctlong1) October 30, 2021
Can you imagine a passenger demanding to speak to the captain during the flight and then identifying herself as a reporter? Most airline unions tell their members to stay away from reporters.
Now it could also be that Long tried to speak to the pilot after the flight and captain and first officer decided to sit in the flight deck with the door closed. But if that were the case, why would she fear getting removed from the plane? I don’t see how she would be subject to removal for asking to speak to the captain, even aggressively, on the ground.
If this incident did take place on the ground, I really have to frown on the cowardice of the pilots. If you have the balls to make the statements, have the balls to defend it, right?
CONCLUSION
Southwest says offering political commentary onboard is unacceptable and has warned staff to keep their politics to themselves. That means it will be highly unlikely a pilot will speak to a reporter, particularly on the record, about the reason for the sudden surge in such statements onboard. Is it due to the vaccine mandate or is due to something else? We can only speculate at this point.
But Journalism 101: it’s best not to demand to speak to the flight crew while they are landing the plane.
> Read More: What Should Happen To Southwest Airlines Pilot Who Said “Let’s Go Brandon” Onboard?
image: American Airlines
How do you remove someone from the aircraft while it’s in the air?
“If you have the balls to make the statements, have the balls to defend it, right?“
**grab popcorn and queue the tranny/patriarchal/gender/whatever outrage**
We’ve seen the “bravery” of MAGA men during the Trump Insurrection while they all hid behind Ashley Babbit.
This pilot said “let’s go brandon” BECAUSE he was behind a locked door.
MAGAs are cowards first and foremost.
Southwest Airlines: The Airline for Cowardly MAGAS
Says the keyboard warrior.
I am a frequent flyer and have listened to numerous hilarious comments from both pilot and supporting flight crew over the years whilst travelling on various airlines. I can think of no instance , zero , where passengers have felt insulted or were made to feel uncomfortable until now , when we find the odd leftist , who finds it difficult to have any sense of humor what so ever . Sickening little people , bereft ” reporters “, with limited creative abilities , who seem intent on making a mountain out of a molehill . Far better than “let’s go Hunter ” because then we REALLY would have something to shout about , unless of course you are in the market for some cheap art !
Southwest Airlines: “You Are Now Free To Insurrect About The Country.”
This was an act of un-professionalism by the pilot, and I think that SWA has the right to insist that pilots keep their politics out of their Public Address systems. But the hysteria is unhinged and lacking in balance and context based upon the previous 5 years when it was perfectly ok to say FU Trump or worse in public — this sort of non-stop Anti-Trump hysteria was deemed acceptable by society and now that the script is flipped nobody should be surprised or particularly outraged.
There’s a false equivalence being perpetuated here:
1) People speaking their minds on media / social media
2) Companies marketing groups deciding they want BLM’ers as customers
3) Customer facing employees talking politics to a captive audience (and yes this includes the lapel pins of flight attendants)
They are NOT the same thing at all
“FU Trump” has never been announced to pax from an active cockpit — if you have proof otherwise, let’s hear it. Mainly because pilots are largely pro-Trump/MAGA anyway (again, if you have proof otherwise…). It’s true, sadly, very few public spaces are free from politicization and anger these days. But this pilot needs to STFU at work and fly the plane safely — that’s the job.
Everything I read led me to believe this all took place on the ground. But I can’t tell you why. Agree with Jim above that ‘remove” leads me to believe they had not left the gate as of yet.
Nevertheless, just because you are a reporter, and regardless of the behavior, you just don’t storm up to a cockpit like that in this day and age. Speaks a bit of entitlement for her to imagine that just because she is a reporter she can confront anyone in this manner. Best would have been to wait until landing, wait until passengers deplane, and, as the last passenger exiting ask to speak to the Captain explaining that she will be writing a story about his statement to passengers and would like to allow him to comment. If he refuses, walk away, write your story, say ‘The pilot refused to comment after the flight.”
I mean sure, but she had been covering the “Lets Go Brandon Story” for the AP, so I can understand why it would be hard for her to resist trying to get an interview when the story suddenly landed in her lap.
Sure, but there needs to be a level of integrity and approach as to her profession. Is she a journalist or a paparazzi laying at wait?
Wait until the end of the flight. It would actually be far more likely, if calm and not charging the cockpit, to get a response from the captain. This is exactly why Bob Woodward is so good at what he does, and even got Trump to talk and reveal things. It’s all in the approach and building trust in a non confrontational atmosphere.
Let’s go brandon!!!
“Let’s Go Brandon,” from my cock pit.
So much for the “Support the President no matter which party” crowd. As soon as it’s not a maga asshat they think a revolution is warranted. Cry me a river.
Comrade,
Pilots hold the lives of hundreds of other people in their hands.
This wasn’t some fox news hack it some MAGA Insurrectionist loser.
This is a commercial airline pilot.
And he clearly had to be fired…unless Southwest doesn’t want to sell tickets to Libs anymore.
If that’s their business plan, then they’re all set but if Southwest management wants to sell tickets to everyone, then this loser had to be fired…PUBLICLY no less.
Give me a break Bob. I just spent years listening to lefties argue that while at work, while in uniform, NFL players have the right to protest against the President. So which is it– do people have the right while working, to publicly protest against the President? Denounce leftists that did this to Trump and we can all move forward.
That’s right– leftists only believe in freedom of speech IF they agree with you. If they disagree with you, then they want to silence that person who disagrees with them like the fascists that they are.
“but if Southwest management wants to sell tickets to everyone,” Well, the NFL players didn’t mind pissing off half of their supporters with protests. If you are so emotionally fragile that a pilot has an opinion you disagree with, then you go to therapy. Guess what, it doesn’t matter airline you are on– half the pilots, FA’s, customers and everyone who is with you on the plane probably disagree with you politically.
Matt– how about we keep this blog to travel and not politics? It’s like dealing with obnoxious Ohio State and Michigan football fans. If I want politics, I’ll go to a political blog (I don’t.) I don’t have time for overgrown babies with low self esteem and God complexes telling me how to live my life. (I’m referring to politicians.)
Traveling is supposed to be fun. Reading about traveling is supposed to be enjoyable. Mixing politics into just gives everyone a headache. Thanks
The cancel culture is losing it steam. It’s currently far too impotent to “fire” a federally licensed pilot. Get over yourself, Karen.
Sorry, I found it funny. Agree with Mak, everyone looses their marbles when the script is flipped.
This line:
“I don’t see how she would be subject to removal for asking to speak to the captain, even aggressively, on the ground.”
reminds me of an article:
https://liveandletsfly.com/thrown-off-a-united-airlines-flight-for-taking-pictures/
From reading this post, you seem to believe this happened in the air because ” it’s reasonable to deduce this happened in the air because she admitted that she almost got removed from the plane”. But you got removed from a plane on the ground. (Also, you can only be removed from a plane while its on the ground.)
I meant AFTER the flight. My incident occurred before takeoff.
I will ask once again, what proof is there that this happened? This one person who may have misheard?
I need to see confirmation from SW this happened before I even care about it. As far as I can tell, SW hasn’t said whether it happened or not yet and no one else other than this reporter has said it happened.
I feel like this investigation shouldn’t take this long to confirm a pretty basic fact.
The AP (her employer) has pretty high journalistic standards. While twitter is one thing, she ultimately wrote an article for the AP about it and they wouldn’t have published it solely based on her report if she didn’t have something to back it up.
Southwest Airlines: “You Are Now Free To Insurrect About The Country.”
This is tricky Southwest but you know you gotta’ fire this MAGA man-child or woman-child.
Sorry MAGAs, pilots are in a different league entirely.
They have the lives of hundreds of people in their hands.
Who knows if this winner was convinced the night before by Tucker Carlson on Fox that safe landing are for liberal sissies.
I have kids so I ain’t buying anymore Southwest tickets.
One less thing to worry about.
Hey, whatever happens to your career as an airline pilot, always remember, MAGA pilot, for one glorious moment in your soon to be unemployed life, you sure owned the Libs on that one flight.
SCORE!!!
In an industry already crippled by adult children refusing to get vaccinated or wear a mask, there is no way Southwest doesn’t fire this MAGA twit.
No way Southwest can survive selling tickets to MAGAs only.
No way.
If Southwest doesn’t fire this pilot, all the others will be laid off in a month due to the boycott.
Post January 6th, real Americans are fed up with the MAGA kids.
How’s that Chik Fil A boycott working? The My Pillow Guy boycott? Hobby Lobby? Coke boycott by the right?
Boycotts don’t work because of short memories and convenience, simple as that.
This one won’t either. Grow up Mr “Real American”.
Tucker Carlson’s crashing ad revenue would disagree
https://www.tvrev.com/news/whats-left-of-tucker-carlsons-advertisers-so-far-in-2021
Fox is crushing it compared to DNC propaganda arms CNN and MSNBC. It has more prime time viewers than the latter two combined.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/markjoyella/2021/09/28/fox-news-crushes-competition-in-3q-cable-news-ratings/
How about former governor Terry McAuliffe remaining former governor? It seems even Virginians reject the totalitarian racist propaganda of the lunatic left. And, no, Youngkin is no Trumpist. U mad, bro?
Brandon leaves the country on fire with both parties throwing rocks on him to attend a BS Climate event that he says is so important. And Brandon sleeps during the event to wake up clapping to something he had no clue about it. That’s the image of the US under this demented. Let’s go Brandon!!!
Sounds like Bob needs to get a life
I think Bob needs to lay off the coke and calm the hell down. LGB is hilarious.
It’s funny that you are just assuming this entire incident actually happened. There has been NO verification from any other passenger on this flight that the pilot even said “Let’s go Brandon”. Hate to break it to you, but this wouldn’t be the first time the MSM has lied and spread fake stories. Their track record clearly shows these people don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt. They deserve to be doubted and need to provide some verification. Until then, this didn’t even happen. Don’t be so gullible.
WOW! Now that’s Effed Up! But, I certainly can and do believe it.
Have other passengers reported hearing this? And most of the time you can’t understand what is being said from the cockpit, is this “reporter” just stirring up controversy to sell her article?
I personally will continue to fly SWA. I’m sure other airlines have had situations concerning their crews, and passenger flights are still full …. Give it a week, everyone will forget
LET’S GO BRANDON!!!
Let’s Go Brandon…
The USA has seriously lost it when a pilot saying ‘let’s go Brandon’ is thought as being insurrection
The USA has seriously lost it when a pilot saying ‘let’s go Brandon’ is thought as being insurrection. >>>>Amen brotha.
God bless donald trump, united we stand.