Southwest Airlines Pilot Open Mic Broadcasts To ATC

DALLAS - Southwest Airlines suspended a pilot whose disparaging comments about gays and older flight attendants were transmitted over an air-traffic control frequency.

The pilot was talking with another crew member and apparently didn't realize that his microphone was on.
Southwest said Wednesday that the pilot was reinstated after going through diversity training. The incident happened in March and was reported this week by KPRC-TV in Houston.

On a tape of the two-and-a-half minute rant, the pilot can be heard talking about wanting to socialize with co-workers but complaining that many were gay or too old or too heavy. Sometimes using profanity and slurs, he called them "a continuous stream of gays and grannies and grandes." An air-traffic controller in Houston told pilots in the area to check if their microphone was stuck open.

"The actions of this pilot are, without question, inconsistent with the professional behavior and overall respect that we require from our employees," said Southwest spokeswoman Brandy King. She said the pilot was reprimanded and suspended without pay, although she wouldn't say for how long. She said he apologized to air-traffic controllers and their bosses.

King declined to identify the pilot. She said he has worked for Southwest for more than a dozen years and has an otherwise good record.

Category:

News & Politics

[SuperMike850]

Almost 40K views, thank you keep the views comin!

[SuperMike850]

dear youtube, i found a little mistake in the video: Southwest Airlines Open Mic

there is a dislike button.

i hope this wil be resolved.

XD

[purvertedmunk]

they should make a commercial otu of this.... u know how southwest makes commericals where they show awkard situations and the motto is "wanna get away?" LOL

[SuperMike850]

This is what I call, true inflight entertainment!

[Valyn66]

@badgerattoadhall Well the first part of your comment reveals you to be the silly little loser you are. What's wrong with offending an entire airport worth of co-workers, referring to female coworkers based on their relative "bangability" when you're a married man, or calling flight attendants fags? Everything is wrong with that.

As for the second part, the only 7 years of education you received were grades 1-4. You repeated grade 4 about 3 times I'm guessing.

Well done.

[badgerattoadhall]

@Valyn66 look so what a called some homos fags? i don’t like the social group think, let’s say how it’s wrong to call a homo a fag or a spic a spic but it’s OK to berate a southerner / southern culture as incest ridden/hicks/hillbilly and they are human trash they are the new social other I reject social group think. As for being a marine engineer try seven years of school and $100k

[Valyn66]

@badgerattoadhall Have you worked with USAF pilots before? Look, there are two answers to this question.

Yes, I have, and I know the type the tend to be.

Or no, I haven't and I'm talking nonsense on Youtube for the fun of it.

I think we can guess which category you fall in.

A marine engineer? Way to shoot for the stars, tiger.

[badgerattoadhall]

@Valyn66 dream big little guy....i am going to be a marine engineer in 24 months. I just disliked your whole “hate monger” comment what a bunch of emotive tripe.

[Valyn66]

@badgerattoadhall Glad you liked it. Maybe someday you too can be of value in the world.

Dream big, little guy. Dream big.

[badgerattoadhall]

@Valyn66 cool story......

[EddieVBlueIsland]

LOL - this is so funny because the truth ALWAYS is! I'd love to see a photo of the "do-able" chick - I betch'a she is a near fox! Ooww!

[SergioFarm]

Lmao 0:40 uh it wasn't us....

[Valyn66]

Now this is a perfect glimpse of the bullshit I hear every time I have to work with USAF guys. What is it about being a pilot that turns you in to such a vapid hatemonger?

Though to be fair, in my experience so far RAAF pilots are just as bad. Sigh.

[doespaluzziwork]

what a complete jerk.

I have always flown Southwest airlines and I have never experienced any sort of bigotry. I think the airline is getting a bad rep.

That pilot will never get "banged" again, I am sure! Nor is he "doable" . What a repulsive big mouth.