United Airlines Pilot Removed from Flight After Giving Bizarre Rant About Her Divorce Over Intercom
A United Airlines pilot was reportedly removed from a flight after giving a bizarre rant about her divorce and politics over the intercom, causing passengers to feel unsafe and exit the airplane.
The pilot, who showed up late to the flight from Austin to San Francisco, first caused alarm by boarding the plane in her street clothes, according to passenger Randy Reiss.
“I’m shaking right now. I just left my @united flight 455 ‘cos the captain demonstrated that she was not mentally in a safe space,” he wrote on Twitter. “She got on in street clothes and asked if we were ok with her flying like that. We all said okay. Cute, right?”
The strange behavior continued when the pilot began speaking over the aircraft’s intercom, sharing that she was going through a divorce and turning the talk to politics.
“Then she’s like ‘I don’t care if you voted for Trump or Clinton. They’re both a—holes,’ ” wrote Reiss.
At that point, he was caught on video by another passenger gathering his belongings and leaving the plane. Reiss said “half the flight” followed suit.
So, y'all. I'm shaking right now. I just left my @united flight 455 'cos the captain demonstrated that she was not mentally in a safe space.
— Randy Reiss (@undeadsinatra) February 11, 2017
She got on in street clothes and asked if we were ok with her flying like that. We all said okay. Cute, right?
— Randy Reiss (@undeadsinatra) February 11, 2017
So then she says "sorry, I'm going through s divorce." Ummm uh oh
— Randy Reiss (@undeadsinatra) February 11, 2017
At that point, I was like "YOOO!!!!"
— Randy Reiss (@undeadsinatra) February 11, 2017
And she looks at me and is like " Did I offend you, sir? I apologize. You don't have to fly if you're not comfortable."
— Randy Reiss (@undeadsinatra) February 11, 2017
So I jumped up and was like "peace, out."
— Randy Reiss (@undeadsinatra) February 11, 2017
Anyway… I stormed off. It took a few, but half the flight followed my lede
— Randy Reiss (@undeadsinatra) February 11, 2017
So, she's off the flight. pic.twitter.com/4Lzq8O9jzY
— Randy Reiss (@undeadsinatra) February 11, 2017
Reiss continued to document the incident on social media, sharing a photo of the pilot being removed from the plane. He said she was crying and apologized to him, and they even shared a hug.
He wrote, “I kid u not, her parting words: ‘We should be on show together. We should write a book.'”
United Airlines confirmed that the pilot was taken off the flight, according to NBC News.
“We hold our employees to the highest standards and replaced this pilot with a new one to operate the flight,” the statement read in part. “We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.”
After a two hour delay waiting for the replacement pilot, Reiss confirmed that they were departing for San Francisco.
Looking back on the situation, he said, “Being a pilot is a tough & stressful job. This particular pilot did not seem emotionally equipped to do that job today. I hope that she gets the help she probably needs.”
