I would feel sorry for the Captain, if he wasn’t such an idiot.
Apparently a Southwest Airlines captain didn’t know his microphone was stuck on the “on” position and broadcast to the FAA and everyone else within earshot a profanity-laced tirade of how tired he was of old, fat, and gay flight attendants.
No need for me to go into detail except to invite you to listen to this not-safe-for-work audio clip or watch the video below.
Now he’s had further “diversity training” is back on the job. Should he be, especially with FAs threatening to sue the airline over their handling of this incident?
I think John Hayward from Human Events captures my thoughts nicely on this issue:
What’s the point of all those diversity training consultants, if they don’t protect the company from bias complaints when some blockhead accidentally turns what was, indisputably, a “private conversation” into a scandal by accidentally leaving his microphone on? Wouldn’t it be better to fire all the diversity consultants and bank the money wasted on them, to pay off the odd settlement to angry lawyers?
Is this going to be another one of those trials where telepathic lawyers demand the corporation be punished for “creating an atmosphere” of ageism, homophobia, and fat-ism? If so, it probably won’t help Southwest that they once put the image of a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model on the side of an airplane.
The pilot deserves condemnation for what he said, but what is the point of more diverisity training? Does anyone think his views are going to be changed by a few classroom sessions? The guy is just going to double check that his mic is off next time he spouts off.
Southwest would be wise to simply apologize (as they have already done) and stress that their “gay, granny, and grande” employees must be and almost always are treated with the same respect all employees deserve. I think that’s the best they can do right now.
I don’t think it’s that big a deal at all. He didn’t intend to broadcast this and it has nothing to do with his ability to fly a plane. I am sure many pilots don’t like certain types of people but who cares, as long as they can skillfully and safely fly a plane, that is all that really matters.
Good job SW for giving him a second chance.
I’m not surprised he’s back on the job (union), and I’m certain those were and still are his true feelings. He jumped through the hurdles of what was required of him to fly again and he’s back. IF his identity is known, or leaked, to his flight attendant colleagues, he’d better have a “taster” when requesting a beverage or crew meal from the FAs.
This guy sounds like such an ass. I understand it’s his opinion, he didn’t know the mic was on (well an air traffic controller called him out), and he might be a great pilot… blah blah blah. If I were a Southwest frequent flier this would be a strong enough issue for me to switch loyalties. I will take my money to a company that hires decent human beings that don’t degrade a majority of their customers such as gays, unattractive women, grannies, and grandes. He has his preferences and I have mine… not flying Southwest.
The best they could have done: fired him.
I’m sure it wouldn’t have been easy, but I can’t believe that (with all the press this has gotten) the union really would have stood by this guy for very long.
If Southwest doesn’t have a clause in their contract that allows them to fire employees who do this kind of thing, then they’re idiots. (And I can’t believe they’re that dumb, since they manage to get a lot of people to fly their crap airline on a daily basis.)
If I ran an organization I wouldn’t want someone like this working for me. Nuff said.
@Josh, Firing him for that would be ridiculous. If they fired everyone who hated something, they would have NO employees lol. People are way too sensitive. He didn’t even know the mic was on so no big deal.
Pilot ID
http://www.examiner.com/page-one-in-houston/southwest-pilot-identified-by-his-coworkers-after-world-famous-rant
No big deal? A private conversation? Just the word, ‘Captain,’ should evoke some respect. Instead, he makes an ass of himself and his company. Has anyone given thought to the first officer? Female? Gay? Straight?
EVERYONE should be treated with respect and not be subjected to such diatribe, microphone on or off.
Southwest should do the right thing and fire him. Period.
Old and fat, definitely inappropriate. However since our Creator calls homosexuality an abomination in the Bible I think the pilot is in good company with his opinions.