American Airlines has defended the actions of a pilot who told travelers that he would “put this plane down in the middle of Kansas and dump people off” if people didn’t behave.
What happened:
A flight — which traveled from Washington, D.C., to Phoenix, Arizona. — turned troubling after a group of people started to chant “USA!” on the flight. As video footage shows, many of the people on the flight were wearing MAGA hats.
Another video of the moment includes the pilot speaking to the travelers, saying he would “dump” them in Kansas.
- “This is the way it’s gonna be. Um, it’s a four-and-a-half-hour flight out to Phoenix. We’ll put this plane down in the middle of Kansas and dump people off — I don’t care,” the pilot said, according to Fox News. ”That’s. … We will do that if that’s what it takes. So behave, please.”
American Airlines issued a statement to Fox News about the incident:
“Prior to departure from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), the pilot onboard flight 1242 made an announcement emphasizing the importance of following crew member instructions and complying with mandatory face-covering policies,” the statement said.
Changes for flights
American Airlines said Wednesday it will make changes to its flights after observing “politically motivated aggression” on trips to Washington, D.C., as I wrote about for the Deseret News.
- “We are working closely with local law enforcement and airport authority partners to ensure the safety of our customers and team members on the ground and in the air,” American Airlines said in a statement, CNN reports.
Utah Sen. Mitt Romney was involved in a similar incident at the Salt Lake City International Airport, and during a flight to Washington, D.C., as the Deseret News reported.