Pilot in Hot Water for Allegedly Using Plane as Flying Pulpit

Talon News / GOP USA ^ | Feb. 10, 2004 | Jeremy Reynalds

[prairiebreeze]

NEW YORK (Talon News) -- A pilot asked passengers on an American Airlines flight to raise their hands if they were Christians, telling them they were "crazy" if they weren't, some of the passengers said Monday.

Passenger Jen Dorsey told CNN, "We were just at the beginning of our flight. The pilot came on to greet everyone and give his comments for the morning, and he said he'd recently been on a mission trip, and he'd like all the Christians to please raise their hands."

Also speaking on CNN, passenger Karla Austin said the pilot commented, "'If you are a Christian, raise your hand.' He said, 'If you are not, you're crazy.'"

Dorsey agreed that the pilot had called non-Christians "crazy."

Another passenger recalled a similar experience in an interview with WCBS-TV in New York. Amanda Nelligan told the station the pilot said those who did not raise their hands were "crazy."

Austin said no passengers raised their hands.

The pilot asked passengers to look around at each other and use the flight wisely or "just sit back and watch the movie," Dorsey said.

The airline is investigating reports about Friday's Flight 34 from Los Angeles to New York, a company spokesman told CNN.

American Airlines said that if the incident were true it "would be against our policy."

In a statement, the airline said, "It falls along the lines of a personal level of sharing that may not be appropriate for one of our employees to do while on the job."

American Airlines spokesman Tim Wagner said the pilot, whose name has not been released, denies using the word "crazy." CNN reported he told the airline that he had recently returned from a mission trip and was encouraging people to use the 4-hour plus flight to speak with other passengers about their relationship with God.

"American Airlines apologizes if anyone was made to feel uncomfortable by the comments of this pilot," Wagner told CNN.

Wagner declined to say whether the pilot has been grounded while an investigation is under way. The man, a senior pilot with the airline, did not fly again over the weekend, Wagner said.

Wagner would not say if the pilot had been scheduled to fly this week.

The result of the airline's investigation will not be made public because it is an internal matter, Wagner told CNN, adding it will be "handled internally according to American Airlines procedure."

Passengers were "shocked," said Austin, adding that some reached for their mobile phones and others used the on-flight phones.

"Just given the history of what's happened on planes in this country, anything can happen at this point. So we weren't sure if something was going to happen at takeoff, if he was going to wait until JFK to do something... But there was definitely [an] implication there that we felt that something was going to happen," Austin said on CNN.

Passengers complained to the flight attendants, who relayed their concerns to the cockpit. They were reassured that they had nothing to worry about on the flight, Austin said.

Attendants also told passengers they had contacted airline officials about the matter, she said.

About 45 minutes into the flight, the pilot apologized -- but his apology focused on the crew, not the passengers, Dorsey said on CNN.

"He came on and said, 'I want to apologize for my comments earlier. I think I really threw the flight crew off a little bit, and they are getting a lot of flack for the things I said. So I want to apologize to my flight crew,'" she said.

Wagner said the pilot offered to speak after the flight with anyone who wanted to discuss his comments.

Austin said on CNN that on her way off the plane she told the pilot "he should be ashamed of himself."

"He just nodded and looked to the ground, and that was it," she said.

[whattajoke]

To your ill-placed, "Amen," does it not interest you that not one single person raised their hand on the flight? While it was a flight b/w Californicatia and Gotham, 2 areas not known for their conservative christian constituency, I think we can agree there were at least some christians on board.

So why didn't anyone raise their hands? Perhaps b/c it was ridiculously out of place, scary, goofy, insulting, personal, and possibly dangerous?

[jim35]

"...If he'd asked all the Mormons to raise their hands,..."

Yep, I'd be ok with that. I wouldn't have raised my hand, but I wouldn't have run crying to the boss either. What a bunch of wussies. Can't take a little religious talk? Waaaahhh! He said Christian! I'm so sad that he offended me!

[EggsAckley]

If *I* had been on that flight and he asked Christians to hold up their hands, *I* WOULDN'T HAVE, despite the fact that I consider myself a Christian. It's none of his da^ned business! He's a pilot! He's there to fly the plane, not jaw with the passengers about religion.

[Modernman]

AMEN! What is the problem here?

Would you be all right with this if he was a Muslim pilot? Or a socialist asking everyone to talk about the joys of John Kerry?

Some things are innapropriate in certain circumstances. Using your power as the pilot of an airplane to advance your religious beliefs on a captive audience is, in my view, rude.

[Born Conservative]

There's an appropriate time and place for "religious talk". This flight wasn't it.

[jim35]

"...in a flying bomb who are currently sensitive to religious differences and issues,..."

It's not religious differences, it's muslims, specifically. Get it right, at least here on FR.

"...Preferably to some place where I can buy what ever it is you sell without a bible lesson..."

So, do you have that list of approved topics yet? You act as if this pilot held a revival during the flight, instead of asking one question and making one Christian comment. So, make that list, submit it to all companies which have employees who appear before the public, and for heaven's sake, let's stifle that speech!

[Indie]

The first thing that would have gone through my mind if he had said this while I was aboard was that I was about to die.

[proud American in Canada]

"Just given the history of what's happened on planes in this country, anything can happen at this point. So we weren't sure if something was going to happen at takeoff, if he was going to wait until JFK to do something... But there was definitely [an] implication there that we felt that something was going to happen."

This is why what the pilot did was wrong. He frightened the passengers--because of the context of when he said this, not the content.

The passengers' had to wonder why the man who would say something like this, and in the context of the reality that he held their lives in his hands because he's at the controls of an aircraft, I'm sure the experience was really frightening.

If he said it once the plane had landed and everyone was casually walking to get their luggage, or in the coffee shop before they boarded, it would be completely different.

[blau993]

well, at least the pilot is sober.....

I don't know that I would jump to that conclusion, considering the bizarre nature of what he has just done.

[California74]

I agree with you, Jim.

And there are apparently several versions of the story going around because I didn't hear that he had called non christians "crazy" in the other stories I've read or heard on the radio.
In any event, I would have been comforted on that flight, knowing the pilot was christian.

[jim35]

"...So why didn't anyone raise their hands? Perhaps b/c it was ridiculously out of place, scary, goofy, insulting, personal, and possibly dangerous?..."

Maybe they didn't want to be ridiculed in public by the rest of the passengers, who they probably figured were atheists. Or maybe, like some here, they find religious expression in public to be "scary" (although in a different context). And who could blame them, in today's intolerent atmosphere? Look what's happening to this pilot, for one remark, and one question on a religious subject?

[expatguy]

Is it because it was an airplane or because he mentioned that oh so extreemly taboo subject "religion".

If it was a cab driver would the reaction be the same?

I wonder how many of the passengers contacted lawyers.

[proud American in Canada]

"So, do you have that list of approved topics yet?"

For airline pilots speaking to passengers during flight? Yes, I have a list of approved topics:

the weather
the scenery
points of historical/scenic interest along the way
E.T.A.
explanations for delays

and that's pretty much it.

[OldFriend]

Not only do we have to worry about fanatical passengers with ill intentions, now we have to fear the crew as well?

This ought to have been handled immediately and without weasel words.

UNACCEPTABLE comes to mind!

[jim35]

"...despite the fact that I consider myself a Christian..."

You're not one of those Christians who's always scaring people away from religion by admitting belief in Jesus Christ and God, are you? Certainly not in public, I hope. That would be scary.

[EggsAckley]

If he said it once the plane had landed and everyone was casually walking to get their luggage, or in the coffee shop before they boarded, it would be completely different.

ABSOLUTELY. Thank you!

[OldFriend]

I'm with you on this....sober was not the first thought that came to mind.

[EggsAckley]

I don't NEED to constantly shove religion down peoples' throats. That, to me, is a sign of insecurity. I believe what I believe, what they believe is up to them.


Sorry, I'd love to continue this nonsense, but I have a dentist's appointment. Babble on.

[proud American in Canada]

Thanks, EA! :)

Please see my #53.... I believe I have come up with an approved list of acceptable topics for airline pilots during flight. ;)

[OldFriend]

A passenger on the flight was on one of the morning shows and said that the pilot did indeed tell the passengers that those who were not Christian were crazy. Further, when the passengers began asking the flight attendants what was going on, they evidently told the captain that the passengers were frightened........the pilot then got on the speaker and apologyzed to the flight attendants for not giving them a heads-up!

Sorry, the pilot was WAY out of line......

Some of the passengers tried to call 911 from the plane.