The foolishness was the Pilot not doing the one ringy two ringy dingy thing. He didn't even attempt to verify this man's authenticity. It is even more foolish to think he couldn't have contacted the White House had he wanted to.
Again the Pilot had an agenda not the Agent.
The pilot's agenda was getting his plane and passengers to its destination in one piece. The agent's agenda is to make sure he does not lose his job because of the publicity. So he cries "racism."