A pilot for Southwest Airlines is currently under internal investigation for saying " Let's go, Brandon " over the plane's loudspeaker. You can share this story on social media: Subscribe to RT newsletter to get news highlights of the day right in your mailbox, Not remotely similar: CNN analyst ripped for comparing pilot's anti-Biden Let's go Brandon sign off to ISIS loyalty pledge, Germany to purge Nazi words from law books, Ex-US soldier sentenced to 45 years for terrorist plot. The Boeing 737 then skidded and sparked before coming to rest in a nearby patch of grass. There was debris kind of rolling off to the sides.". NTSB investigators have said the captain abruptly took over from the first officer some 400 feet from the ground as the plane neared LaGuardia. 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.. 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 . The pilot of a Southwest Airlines flight that landed nose first at LaGuardia Airport this summer, injuring 16 passengers, has been fired. \"Companies really have to send a message to all their employees that this is not acceptable. It goes back to October 2, when stock car driver Brandon Brown won his first NASCAR Xfinity Series race. I never imagined it would turn into this in a thousand years, Haak said during the virtual hearing. 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. Some noted that the same people now calling for the pilot to be fired spent the last four years tweeting nothing but F*** Trump.. This is not the kind of aberrant behavior that anyone should accept, the prosecutor added. Southwest pilot sends reporter, CNN analyst into frenzy after saying 'Let's go, Brandon' over plane intercom Chris Enloe October 31, 2021 Robert Smith/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images Like Blaze News? He pleaded guilty to the charges. Michael Haak was the pilot in command of the plane during a flight from Philadelphia to Orlando, Florida, according to a one-page filing in federal district court in Maryland. Southwest spokesperson Chris Mainz said that the airline does not tolerate behavior of this nature and will take prompt action if such conduct is substantiated.. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Southwest fires captain who made hard landing at LaGuardia Airport By Kristina Sgueglia and Mike M. Ahlers, CNN Updated 3rd October 2013 FacebookTwitterEmail New passenger video shows what it. The judge said that requiring Southwest employees to be. By When you support The Post Millennial, you support freedom of the press at a time when it's under direct attack. It was unbelievable it was probably 300 yards from us, if that," Czech said. 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. Haak was sentenced to one year probation and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine. Michael Haak, 60, apologized before US Magistrate Judge J. Someone needs to calm down. You should be using language that's respectful of others in the workplace,\" advises Stevie St. John, LA Gay \u0026 Lesbian Center spokesperson. ", "Its pilots now giving the 'f*ck you Biden' or 'let's go Brandon' GOP line during the flight," Heath added. 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. Use code TPM for up to 66% off at MyPillow.com. Thanks for contacting us. Southwest Airlines via Facebook. 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. A Southwest Airlines plane takes off for flight. "The news coverage of the 'Let's Go Brandon' chant being repeated by a Southwest Airlines pilot brings to mind other Trumpian things that are permeating regular life," author Sarah Posner wrote in a tweet. I recall DeNiro saying Fuck Trump on National TV & 1/2 of earth cheered. She wrote that "MAGA is not happy and crazed in my feed. We've received your submission. "As an experiment," Rangappa wrote, "I'd love for an @SouthwestAir pilot to say 'Long Live ISIS' before taking off. A federal law enforcement official confirmed the FBI and other federal agents were investigating . Southwest Airlines launched an investigation into the pilot who announced the anti-Joe Biden slogan 'let's go Brandon' after landing the jet. ", 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. I write about travel trends and news you can use. Daily Kos moves in solidarity with the Black community. The act is said to have occured in August 2020 on a flight from Philadelphia to Orlando.. While there were no fatalities in the crash landing, a lawsuit has been filed by one of the passengers. 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.". Michael Haak exposed his genitals to a first officer and watched porn in the cockpit, prosecutors. Another wrote: This is the chant of the insurrectionists, the birthers & bigots. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "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'. Don't plan on doing it ever again. Since then, the phrase Lets Go, Brandon has functioned. Join the ranks of independent, free thinkers by supporting us today for as little as $1. The story of the pilot's comment has gone viral . Glad @SouthwestAir is addressing. Union contracts change the terms of employment, and, in most cases, you can only terminate an employee per the union contract. "Clearly, there was no nose gear," he added. Daniel Hale blows the whistle on the US drone wars. Pilot Michael Haak is . Some went as far as to compare voicing anti-Joe Biden remarks to declaring allegiance with terrorists. Youre making assumptions. A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-73V jet departs Midway International Airport in Chicago, April 6, 2021. "There was just this fireball going down the runway. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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. In March 2017, Charlene Carter was fired by all Boeing 737 carrier Southwest Airlines. Philadelphia won the game, 169-147. As a retired FAA employee and married to a controller, this pilot violated numerous rules. The incident is one of a growing handful of recent close calls at airports that the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. South Carolina Rep. Jeff Duncan shared a photo of himselfin a Lets Go Brandon face mask to his Facebook feed claiming, The American people are furious. U.S. Since this reporting, the pilot has come under fire from leftists and Democrats who see his statement as somehow problematic. FedEx said its flight 'safely landed after encountering an event,' but declined to further comment because of the ongoing investigations. Southwest Airlines has issued a formal apology, and is opening an internal investigation, after one of its pilots finished off a flight on Friday by saying "Let's go Brandon" over the. Former FBI special agent believes that the majority of Americans are actually terrorists, because they oppose Dear Leader Joe. Chinese peace plan: Can Beijing find a way to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, despite open hostility from the US and NATO? @SouthwestAir @FAANews pic.twitter.com/2fbzJCsvdM, She further said that "every passenger on that flight has standing to file a complaint" with the FAA, and that "they should do so." Read more about the dramatic hard-landing at NBCNewYork.com. The FedEx plane climbed back into the skies away from the Southwest flight carrying 128 passengers, which continued its takeoff toward Cancn. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. It happened Friday morning on a Southwest flight from Houston to Albuquerque, according to an Associated Press journalist who said she was on the flight. We will assist our FAA partners and their investigation as necessary.'. https://t.co/L7VlZWJ0SU. 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.. ", The ruling class will not be mocked https://t.co/Irngrj4vj3, Cristina Hoff Sommers noted that "Criticizing a political leader is not terrorism.". The pilot has come under fire from leftists who see this as akin to terrorism. SouthWest Pilot should be fired. Yesterday there was a story who used an open mike to denigrate the Bay area as he was departing. Its as big a deal as any Southwest customer wishes to make it. Lawyers for Jacqueline Young of Jonesville, S.C., say their client suffered serious injuries while exciting the crippled plane on an evacuation chute. 'FedEx Express Flight 1432 from Memphis, Tennessee to Austin, Texas safely landed after encountering an event just before landing at Austin Bergstrom International Airport this morning,' FedEx said in a statement, Austin Airport said it was 'aware of the Federal Aviation Administration's investigation into the discontinued landing of a flight. Like many airlines, Southwest was forced to cancel 20,000 flights planned for this summer, saying it would help them keep the remaining schedule. The incident occurred on a flight that he was piloting from Philadelphia to Orlando on Aug. 10 2020, federal prosecutors said. RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) A Southwest flight diverted to Myrtle Beach Friday night as it ran low on fuel during bad weather, officials said. But proof I have a sense of humor (in victory), I think Karen Kayyem is pretty funny. Rep. Duncan may be right about the fury, but wrong if implying the anger only went in one direction. (John Minchillo). In a post-race interview with Brown, NBC reporter Kelli Stavast said that the crowd could be heard yelling, Lets go, Brandon, when, actually, the crowd was yelling F- you, Biden. Some on the right found Stavasts mischaracterization hilarious. Pilots across the country have been subjected to a vaccine mandate from their employers after President Joe Biden demanded that all companies that employ over 100 people, or those that contract with the federal government as so many airlines do, vaccinate their workers. Should the pilot be fired? 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. But flight delays and cancellations are still common. Southwests promise to address the situation directly with the employee in question, following an internal probe, triggered even more backlash and demands for a much stronger statement and concrete action. In a post-race interview, chants of "F--- Joe Biden" could be heard from the crowd. The aircrafts speed was approximately 133 knots when it pitched down approximately 3 degrees at landing and then skidded to a stop within about 19 seconds, according to the NTSB. The pilot has come under fire from leftists who see this as akin to terrorism. Republican members of the U.S. Congress have been quick to jump on the Brandon bandwagon. Were independent and cant be cancelled. Former FBI special agent Asha Rangappa wrote that a pilot saying "Let's go Brandon" in mockery of a sitting president that is disrupting the airline industry was similar to pledging public allegiance to a known global terror organization. After completing an internal investigation into the crash of Flight 345 at LaGuardia Airport, Southwest Airlines has fired the pilot, the carrier said.. Sixteen people sustained injuries when the plane landed nose first and skidded off the runway. 06:57 GMT 03 Mar 2023. Mark Coulson ordered him on Friday to serve probation and pay a $5,000 fine. Criticizing a political leader is not terrorism. The viral incident has some calling for him to be . "FAA won't let me fly when mentally impaired, impairments including being sad or angry. Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner thanked Southwest and the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General for their assistance with the investigation. As it gained steam, the meme has ceased to be a sneaky, under-the-radar way to throw an F-bomb at President Biden and has become a verbal middle finger that is not fooling anyone, hence the gasps from Southwest passengers. "A portion of the U.S. was already angry well before the Brandon moment," Long wrote, "But anger has now moved beyond die-hard Trump supporters, said Stanley Renshon, a political scientists and psychoanalyst at the City University of New York.". Context is everything. These folks killed police at our Capitol. His opinion. No messing around in the air. 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. She said it was 'fairly clear that the aircraft came within very close proximity of each other and we believe its less than 100 feet'. Get the news that matters most delivered directly to your inbox. An AP reporter was aboard a Southwest flight when the pilot said, "Let's go Brandon," over the intercom. ", Sixteen people sustained injuries when the plane landed nose first and skidded off the runway. 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. Discover Destination 225. A Southwest spokeswoman said no passengers witnessed the incident . Southwest's decision came as the airline completed an internal investigation of the circumstances that caused Flight 345 from Nashville to nose dive on the tarmac July 22. The pilot, who took the controls from the first officer when the Boeing 737 was just 400 feet from the ground, had flown with Southwest for 13 years, but had only landed at LaGuardia once before, Bloomberg reported. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Haak, who retired shortly after the incident, was charged in April with intentionally committing a lewd, indecent or obscene act in a public place. 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. By posting your comment you agree to the house rules, The comments below have not been moderated, By Market data provided byFactset. One might reasonably expect to hear anti-Biden rhetoric at a GOP political rally, NASCAR race or baseball game but not over the loudspeaker on a commercial airline. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Cunningham blasted the pilot, saying that he had a duty to comport himself in a much more responsible manner.. A spokeswoman for Southwest told the Associated Press the landing was not in accordance with operating procedures for the airline. Associated Press reporter Colleen Long, who happened to be on that flight, claimed she was almost removedafter trying to ask the pilot about using the phrase. 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. A Southwest Airlines plane sits on the runway in Costa Rica, April 30, 2021. Today in History. 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 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. You may opt-out by. With its. From a pilot. 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 said in a statement. Site content may be used for any purpose without explicit permission unless otherwise specified. 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. Truly evil folks in the liberal media were sent into a bloodlust Saturday when an Associated Press report targeted an unnamed Southwest airline pilot who said goodbye to his disembarking passengers by ending his sign-off with "Let's Go Brandon," the anti-Biden slogan sweeping the nation. (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication. A Southwest pilot was recently charged with a federal crime for exposing himself in public while flying a plane from Philadelphia to Orlando, according to court documents. In smaller letters was the acronym, FJB, or F- Joe Biden.. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Yesterday there was a story who used an open mike to denigrate the Bay area as he was departing. According to Haak's plea agreement, he had never met the female officer prior to the flight. Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images, FILE. "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. Sophie Mann For Dailymail.Com, Despite being cleared for landing, the FedEx team was concerned about the apparent proximity of the Southwest jet on the runway, The FedEx pilots used their better judgement to avoid the near miss but the cause of the almost accident remains unclear, concerned about the presence of a Southwest jet on the runway below. Context matters; pilots in cockpits have responsibility. REUTERS. 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 . The backlash on social media has quickly spawned a trending #BoycottSouthwest hashtag and calls for the airline to fire the pilot. A TikTok user on the same flight captured the audio of the pilot ending his message with Thank you for flying Southwest Airlines. Who is India's National Security Advisor and why did Putin decide to meet him one on one? \"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. ", If @SouthwestAir doesnt do anything, every passenger on that flight has standing to file a complaint with the @FAANews and they should do so. "So you have highly qualified applicants who want to work here at the airline and there are airlines passing them over. The pilot of a Southwest Airlines flight that landed nose first at LaGuardia Airport this summer, injuring 16 passengers, has been fired. The Southwest plane had not yet departed when the FedEx plane was approaching the runway. Haak was allegedly piloting Southwest Airlines Flight 6607 from Philadelphia to Orlando on Aug. 10. 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. ", "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." The incident occurred in poor visibility conditions early on Saturday morning in Austin. Since then, Sen. Ted Cruz, and countless others, have taken up the chant. A Southwest Airlines plane takes off for flight. SouthWest Pilot should be fired. "The Southwest pilot who said, 'Let's go Brandon' over the intercom, should be fired. Scott Dworkin (@funder) October 31, 2021 Any pilot who thinks they can get on the plane's public address system to spew a dog whistle to the racist . MAGA is not happy and crazed in my feed. FAQ - New Privacy Policy. The controversy was caused by reports that a pilot ona Southwest flight from Houston, Texas to Albuquerque, New Mexico on Friday said, Lets Go Brandon though the loudspeaker a recent conservative meme that has become code for F**k Joe Biden. I would not board a plane with this pilot. Now stop with the sexism and racism? Be a jerk anywhere else. An air traffic controller tried to interrupt him and take back the channel but the pilot couldn't hear him. A supporter of former President Donald Trump shows his colors with a "Let's Go Brandon" hat. 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. HONOLULU -- A Southwest Airlines flight from Honolulu bound for Oakland was turned around mid-flight and returned to Honolulu following a . Traffic at the airport, however, was limited at the time. Powered and implemented byFactSet Digital Solutions. Please fire this pilot who felt it was his duty to publicly announce his political affiliation to all passengers on board, said a Twitter user. The FAA said the Delta Boeing 737 stopped its takeoff roll approximately 1,000 feet before reaching the point where American Airlines Flight 106 had crossed. The need for fact-based journalism and thoughtful analysis has never been greater. The Southwest pilot should be #FIRED immediately. 'Southwest abort,' the FedEx crew broadcast, according to the federal report. 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. Filmmaker Andy Ostroy wrote: "You better . 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). "Kos" and "Daily Kos" are registered trademarks of Kos Media, LLC. One of Europes top right-wing extremists: Who is the neo-Nazi behind this weeks Ukrainian attack in Russias Bryansk Region? The Dallas-based airline has not publicly identified the pilots. When the captain takes control, it takes him a few seconds to understand what's happening. 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. Homendy told Politico: 'Were really digging into the communications between [air traffic control], Southwest, FedEx especially in relation to weather issues.'. 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. Some people are calling for the pilot to be fired as a result or for there to be an investigation. 'FedEx is on the go.'. Southwest Airlines Co. pilots conduct a pre-flight check in the cockpit of an airplane on the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport, Sept. 6, 2013. 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. Southwest Airlines pilots perform a check in a 737 aircraft before a flight at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, in Washington. The pilots had been placed on administrative leave pending the results of Southwest's inquiry. 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,. 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 both like rules. Welcome aboard. "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 undergo additional training," Southwest spokeswoman Whitney . 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"The question is why the captain took control," Bill Waldock, who teaches accident investigation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Ariz., told Bloomberg. A Southwest spokesperson said that Haak left the airline before the company was made aware of the incident.