Yesterday there was a story who used an open mike to denigrate the Bay area as he was departing. The Boeing 737 then skidded and sparked before coming to rest in a nearby patch of grass. Southwest does not condone Employees sharing their personal political opinions while on the job serving our Customers, and one Employees individual perspective should not be interpreted as the viewpoint of Southwest and its collective 54,000 Employees, the airline said in a statement on Sunday. In addition to the JetBlue and FedEx incidents, anther close call was averted at John F. Kennedy International Airport last monthafter an American Airlines plane crossed a runway while a Delta Airlines' Boeing 737 plane was preparing for takeoff on January 13. "Please fire this pilot who felt it was his duty to publicly. . Federal authorities have charged a former Southwest Airlines pilot with indecent exposure for an incident they say occurred during a flight last August. The NTSB report does not indicate what might have caused the close call on the runway in Austin, but it mentioned there was limited visibility due to fog. A Southwest Airlines pilot is under an internal investigation after signing off from a flight using the phrase "Let's go, Brandon," the airline said in a statement provided to NPR. The LAST thing I want when I'm flying is to know that the pilot of my plane only cares about half of their passengers because of their political views. It was a stupid thing to say & deserves the scrutiny. "Clearly, there was no nose gear," he added. US state proposes $360k per person in slavery reparations, US ally resumes imports of Russian oil data, Biden praises Scholz for diversifying away from Russian energy, Beijing calls US worlds primary nuclear threat. Today is Thursday, March 2, the 61st day of 2023. ", "On Friday morning on a Southwest flight from Houston to Albuquerque, the pilot signed off his greeting over the public address system with the phrase, to audible gasps from some passengers." In an initial tweet Saturday, the National Transportation Safety Board used jargon to downplay the incident describing it as a 'possible runway incursion and overflight involving airplanes from Southwest Airlines and FedEx.'. REUTERS. Homendy told Politico: 'Were really digging into the communications between [air traffic control], Southwest, FedEx especially in relation to weather issues.'. Context matters; pilots in cockpits have responsibility. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas tweeted a photo of himself at the World Series, beaming from ear to ear beside a Houston Astros fan with Lets Go Brandon emblazoned in large letters across a poster. "As the plane continued its flight, Haak further engaged in inappropriate conduct in the cockpit as the First Officer continued to perform her duties as an assigned aircrew member," federal prosecutors in Maryland said. His opinion. I write about travel trends and news you can use. (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines said on Wednesday it fired the pilot of a plane that crashed at New York's LaGuardia Airport in July after it touched down on its . According to federal investigators, the pilot asked for and received confirmation that he was clear to land. Since then, the phrase Lets Go, Brandon has functioned. Air traffic controllers noticed a Boeing 777 had crossed from an adjacent taxiway. The Southwest Airlines Destination 225 Program trains and empowers future Southwest Pilots on how to fly The Southwest Way. There was debris kind of rolling off to the sides.". "As an experiment," Rangappa wrote, "I'd love for an @SouthwestAir pilot to say 'Long Live ISIS' before taking off. NTSB investigators have said the captain abruptly took over from the first officer some 400 feet from the ground as the plane neared LaGuardia. This, she said, would force Southwest to "investigate or defend him. Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images, FILE. Daily Kos moves in solidarity with the Black community. The FedEx plane climbed back into the skies away from the Southwest flight carrying 128 passengers, which continued its takeoff toward Cancn. Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner thanked Southwest and the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General for their assistance with the investigation. All rights reserved. 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But we both like rules. Of the 150 people aboard the flight from Nashville, three passengers, the two pilots and three flight attendants were treated and released from the hospital with the minor injuries. "Kos" and "Daily Kos" are registered trademarks of Kos Media, LLC. An AP reporter was aboard a Southwest flight when the pilot said, "Let's go Brandon," over the intercom. My guess is that 1) the plane would be immediately grounded; 2) the pilot fired; and 3) a statement issued by the airline within a matter of hours. Chinese peace plan: Can Beijing find a way to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, despite open hostility from the US and NATO? Juliette Kayyem, a CNN National Security Analyst and former Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security under former President Barack Obama, wrote that: "Southwest pilot saying Let's go Brandon demonstrated the poorest of judgements best case and a MAGA death wish worst case and then the rest of the flight crew let him remain in the cabin operating a commercial aircraft," Kayyem wrote, as though the pilot's dislike of the sitting president precludes him from doing his job. dailykos.com - bonitamia 1h. Thanks for contacting us. ", If @SouthwestAir doesnt do anything, every passenger on that flight has standing to file a complaint with the @FAANews and they should do so. Southwest Airlines has fired the captain who piloted the Boeing 737 jet that landed so hard at New York City's LaGuardia Airport in July that the airplane's nose gear collapsed, injuring more than a dozen people and jamming air traffic for hours. The pilot who was talking to his co-pilot had accidentally keyed his microphone, broadcasting his comments to hundreds of other pilots and air traffic controllers across Texas. Context is everything. This story has been shared 133,320 times. Not mine. Traffic at the airport, however, was limited at the time. The incident occurred on a flight that he was piloting from Philadelphia to Orlando on Aug. 10 2020, federal prosecutors said. A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-73V jet departs Midway International Airport in Chicago, April 6, 2021. On Friday morning, an Associated Press reporter heard a Southwest Airlines pilot sign off a greeting to passengers over the plane's public address system with "Let's Go, Brandon." By. . March 4, 2023. The Boeing 767 cargo airplane was several miles from the airport when it was cleared to land, according to the FAA but just before it was about to touch down an air traffic controller also gave the go-ahead for the Southwest Boeing 737 to take off on the exact same stretch of tarmac. That anger is not just one-sided, however, and people took issue with the pilot's message. The two planes appeared to come within 75 vertical feet of one another, though the NTSB is continuing to investigate the minimum distance that occurred between the planes. Who agrees," wrote actor Angela Belcamino on Twitter. Don't plan on doing it ever again. "There was just this fireball going down the runway. We will assist our FAA partners and their investigation as necessary.'. A Southwest Airlines plane sits on the runway in Costa Rica, April 30, 2021. FedEx said its flight 'safely landed after encountering an event,' but declined to further comment because of the ongoing investigations. The Dallas-based airline has not publicly identified the pilots. His insults included homosexuals, older women and overweight people. It started as a consensual prank between me and the other pilot. The backlash on social media has quickly spawned a trending #BoycottSouthwest hashtag and calls for the airline to fire the pilot. About 593 employees were set to be fired for refusing to get the COVID vaccine, but United says that number has dropped to 320. . Glad @SouthwestAir is addressing. Join the ranks of independent, free thinkers by supporting us today for as little as $1. HONOLULU -- A Southwest Airlines flight from Honolulu bound for Oakland was turned around mid-flight and returned to Honolulu following a . (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication. Pilot Michael Haak is . Lawyers for Jacqueline Young of Jonesville, S.C., say their client suffered serious injuries while exciting the crippled plane on an evacuation chute. A Southwest Airlines employee helps a passenger to check in at a counter at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Oct. 11, 2021 in Arlington, Va. (Alex Wong/Getty Images / Getty Images). Southwest Airlines needs to make the Maga pilot #FIRED How dare he be so unprofessional. Citing an ongoing investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, the airline did not release the name of the pilot, and said it had also ordered the first officer on the flight to undergo more training. She wrote that "MAGA is not happy and crazed in my feed. Use code TPM for up to 66% off at MyPillow.com. The airline apologizes for this event an action that was not reflective of the Southwest hospitality for which we are known and strive to provide each day on every flight., This is a BETA experience. The need for fact-based journalism and thoughtful analysis has never been greater. (John Minchillo). Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Following the initial almost accident,Jennifer Homendy, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, explained just how close the planes were to catastrophe and said investigators are probing how the incident was able to happen. Kos Media, LLC. To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy, http://thepostmillennial.com/southwest-pilot-lets-go-brandon, Media, activists call for Southwest pilot to be fired because he said 'Let's go Brandon' on plane, BREAKING: Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio, residents told to shelter in place, BREAKING: Trump vows to prevent World War III, put AMERICA FIRST again in epic CPAC speech, Staten Island schools superintendent under investigation for alleged anti-white racist texts, BREAKING: Fox News to carry Trump's CPAC speech live after Bannon blasts network, Trump calls for China, WHO to be 'held to account' for Covid lab leak, Disney censors 'Zip-a-dee-doo-dah' from parks over origin in 'racist' Song of the South. The pilot's identity is still unclear as of Friday morning, but on Thursday, March 25, SFGate confirmed via Live ATC a site that tracks and records air traffic control audio transmissions . Since then, the phrase Lets Go, Brandon has functioned as a wink-wink, nudge-nudge, safe-for-kids replacement of the vulgar expletive toward President Biden. RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) A Southwest flight diverted to Myrtle Beach Friday night as it ran low on fuel during bad weather, officials said. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Some noted that the same people now calling for the pilot to be fired spent the last four years tweeting nothing but F*** Trump.. SouthWest Pilot should be fired. The FedEx plane landed safely soon after. A Southwest Airlines pilot who watched porn and exposed his genitals to a female officer on a flight to Florida has been sentenced to one year of probation. The Boeing . The Southwest pilot should be #FIRED immediately." Meanwhile, conservatives responded by tweeting examples of celebrities and others making profane anti-Trump statements and urging Southwest to . After the Aug. 10, 2020, flight from Philadelphia to Orlando reached cruising altitude, Michael Haak, 60, of Longwood, Florida, admitted to removing his clothes in the cockpit of the plane -- exposing himself to the female first officer. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, From shutdowns to near-misses, the FAA is ready for a refresh, How Pete Buttigieg and Washington lobbyists are fueling the US airline crisis, Emotional TikTok of service dogs final flight on Southwest goes viral, Yall on damage control: Southwest Airlines slammed for feel-good dog video, who watched porn and exposed his genitals to a female officer. "Vulgarity stand-in from @SouthwestAir cockpit," wrote Washington Post editor Cathleen Decker, who linked to reporting from the AP. \"This was an isolated incident with one employee, making a poor decision, using inexcusable language, and is not representative of the 35,000 hard working, respectful employees of Southwest Airlines,\" said Chuck Magil, Southwest Airlines VP, Flight Operations. @SouthwestAir, this pilot better be GONE by tomorrow. Think your friends would be interested? "The Southwest pilot who said, 'Let's go Brandon' over the intercom, should be fired. Southwest Airlines has launched an internal probe after one of its pilots signed off with a viral phrase used to insult President Joe Biden, but Twitter warriors are calling for harsh measures to prevent such heresy in the future. 06:56 GMT 03 Mar 2023 Those who dont follow politics or NASCAR could be forgiven for being unaware of the latest Trumpian meme. Some people are calling for the pilot to be fired as a result or for there to be an investigation. Its as big a deal as any Southwest customer wishes to make it. IE 11 is not supported. This content was created by a Daily Kos Community member. A pilot for Southwest Airlines is currently under internal investigation for saying " Let's go, Brandon " over the plane's loudspeaker. Nonetheless, Southwest did investigate the matter and as a result, ceased paying Mr. Haak any benefits he was entitled to receive as a result of his separation from (the airline), Mainz said in a statement. 'FedEx is on the go.'. Haak was allegedly piloting Southwest Airlines Flight 6607 from Philadelphia to Orlando on Aug. 10. MAGA is not happy and crazed in my feed. But flight delays and cancellations are still common. ", "Its pilots now giving the 'f*ck you Biden' or 'let's go Brandon' GOP line during the flight," Heath added. Christina Pushaw, Press Secretary for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, simply commented that a "Former FBI special agent believes that the majority of Americans are actually terrorists, because they oppose Dear Leader Joe.". The pilot should be fired., In an email to Forbes, Southwest Airlines said it does not condone employees sharing their personal political opinions while on the job serving our customers, especially when comments are divisive and offensive., Southwest is conducting an internal investigation into the recently reported incident and will address the matter directly with any employee involved, according to the email. Get the news that matters most delivered directly to your inbox. Total failure to implement the IMSAFE checklist, clearly the guy is stressed out enough about somethingstolen election, vaccine mandate, Hillary Clinton," stated Kayyem with no proof of anything other than that it's likely the pilot doesn't like the president and was amused by a meme. Michael Haak exposed his genitals to a first officer and watched porn in the cockpit, prosecutors. Steve Czech, who was on the runway waiting for his American Airlines flight to take off, told NBC New York that he saw the Southwest plane touch down. But we share the country w/ assholes in every line of work. Social media users took to their keyboards Saturday to react to a newly surfaced video that purportedly shows a Southwest Airlines pilot concluding an announcement to passengers by saying "Let's go Brandon" over the plane's intercom system. Stevie St. John from LA's Gay and Lesbian center says the case highlights the need for companies to create a culture of acceptance. When you support The Post Millennial, you support freedom of the press at a time when it's under direct attack. But proof I have a sense of humor (in victory), I think Karen Kayyem is pretty funny. "It was just screeching down the runway, fire on both sides. Should the pilot be fired? 06:57 GMT 03 Mar 2023. Be a jerk anywhere else. Now stop with the sexism and racism?". When the captain takes control, it takes him a few seconds to understand what's happening. 1.1M views 11 years ago Southwest Airlines flight attendants are outraged a Houston based pilot was caught on an open cockpit microphone making derogatory statements about his co-workers,. ", On Twitter, Long wrote: "[That feeling when] 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 [sic] comment but then almost get removed from the plane. The airlines seemingly feeble response to the incident had many calling for the pilot to be publicly identified and fired, while others called for boycotts of the airline as a whole. The Boeing 767 was approaching the runway with poor visibility while a Southwest Boeing 737 was cleared for takeoff. Check out what's clicking on FoxBusiness.com. Sana Ameer , Hearst. "Upon completion of our internal review of the Flight 345 accident, last week the captain was terminated and the first officer is being required to underg, Report: Southwest plane landed nose-gear first, 'You can see the engine skidding across the ground'. Today in History. Southwest Airlines issued a video statement online after temporarily suspending the pilot. The most recent incident occurred Monday, when a JetBlue pilot had to dodge a Learjet that was crossing the runway as the first plane was about to land. Southwest Airlines has said that they do not intend to fire employees who do not comply with the federal vaccine mandate. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Cunningham blasted the pilot, saying that he had a duty to comport himself in a much more responsible manner.. You may opt-out by. A Southwest pilot recently signed off using the phrase, . The captain of a FedEx cargo plane that had been cleared for landing last month at the Austin-Bergstrom Airport was concerned about the presence of a Southwest jet on the runway below. CNN Analyst Juliette Kayyem is . The Southwest pilot should be #FIRED immediately. Someone needs to calm down. It goes back to October 2, when stock car driver Brandon Brown won his first NASCAR Xfinity Series race. I would . But as the FedEx plane made its way through foggy conditions to the runway, the flight's first officer decided not to attempt to complete the landing given how close the Southwest fight was. Southwest Airlines has fired the captain who piloted the Boeing 737 jet that landed so hard at New York City's LaGuardia Airport in July that the airplane's nose gear collapsed, injuring more. Share this story! https://t.co/0KlzkTWSch, The reporter, Colleen Long, was working on an article for the Associated Press at the time, titled "How 'Let's Go Brandon' became code for insulting Joe Biden. ), Ways to get involved in the 2022 Election. When the plane reached cruising altitude, Haak got out of the pilots seat and disrobed and began watching pornographic material on a laptop computer in the cockpit, prosecutors said. Charlene Carter, a Southwest Airlines flight attendant fired in 2017 for expressing her abortion views in messages to the union president, will be reinstated by the airline per an order from the United States District Court.. Southwest Airlines flight attendant fired . 'Southwest abort,' the FedEx crew broadcast, according to the federal report. The airline also had its fair share of criticism from conservatives, for allegedly cowering to the left-wing mob.. A Southwest Airlines plane sits on the runway in Costa Rica, April 30, 2021. The hard landing on the tarmac, which forced an evacuation via the plane's emergency chutes, shut down parts of the airport overnight as crews worked to remove the aircraft. The pilots association for Southwest filed suit against the company over the mandate, one day before the airline had to cancel thousands of flights due to "weather" and "absenteeism. Southwest has so far declined to comment. Haak, who retired shortly after the incident, was charged in April with intentionally committing a lewd, indecent or obscene act in a public place. After completing an internal investigation into the crash of Flight 345 at LaGuardia Airport, Southwest Airlines has fired the pilot, the carrier said.. (HANDOUT). Mutual Fund and ETF data provided byRefinitiv Lipper. ", Sixteen people sustained injuries when the plane landed nose first and skidded off the runway. Earlier this month, Florida Rep. Bill Posey uttered the phrase on the House floor with a fist pump. Most of the people calling for the Southwest pilot to be fired for saying Lets Go Brandon, spent the last 4 years tweeting nothing but F*ck Trump.This glass house is coming down hard & were all going to get cut. Intolerable. FAQ - New Privacy Policy. I would not board a plane with this pilot. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. As a retired FAA employee and married to a controller, this pilot violated numerous rules. Be a jerk anywhere else. According to Haak's plea agreement, he had never met the female officer prior to the flight. Passengers flying to Texas . Youre making assumptions. Now stop with the sexism and racism? Since then, Sen. Ted Cruz, and countless others, have taken up the chant. These folks killed police at our Capitol. Philadelphia won the game, 169-147. The pilot has come under fire from leftists who see this as akin to terrorism. We've received your submission. (Photo: Al Drago), On a Friday-morning flight from Houston to Albuquerque, a Southwest Airlines pilot signed off an in-cabin announcement with the anti-Joe Biden meme, Lets Go, Brandon!, On that flight happened to be Associated Press journalist Colleen Long, who included the incident inan article she wrote about the chant, noting that she heard audible gasps from passengers. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee / AP Images). Today's Highlight in History: On March 2, 1962, Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors in a game against the New York Knicks, an NBA record that still stands. Another wrote: This is the chant of the insurrectionists, the birthers & bigots. He then proceeded to view pornographic material in the cockpit on a laptop. https://t.co/1r8fHooheF. Some even called on the Federal Aviation Administration to get involved and check the pilots mental health. Have fun with that. His attorney Michael Salnick had said in a court filing that Haak accepts responsibility for his behavior and offers no excuses., But he argued that his client deserves a lenient sentence given his lifetime of hard work and kindness.. Market data provided byFactset. The pilot of a Southwest Airlines flight that landed nose first at LaGuardia Airport this summer, injuring 16 passengers, has been fired. Southwest Flight 3094 was originally scheduled to fly . In March 2017, Charlene Carter was fired by all Boeing 737 carrier Southwest Airlines. Discover Destination 225. By posting your comment you agree to the house rules, The comments below have not been moderated, By A Southwest Airlines pilot who watched porn and exposed his genitals to a female officer on a flight to Florida has been sentenced to one year of probation. Southwest Airlines flight attendants are outraged a Houston based pilot was caught on an open cockpit microphone making derogatory statements about his co-workers, lamenting that he couldn't date any if them. Southwest Airlines pilots perform a check in a 737 aircraft before a flight at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, in Washington. A Southwest Airlines employee helps. Legal Statement. https://t.co/L7VlZWJ0SU. Oct 31, 2021 Media, activists call for Southwest pilot to be fired because he said 'Let's go Brandon' on plane An AP reporter was aboard a Southwest flight when the pilot said, "Let's go Brandon," over the intercom.