American Airlines Pilot Announces He’s God After Kicking Off Anti-Mask Passenger

A passenger had to be removed from an American Airlines flight to Charlotte over their refusal to wear a mask. So far, just like any other day in travel since 75% of airline incidents reported to the FAA this year have involved masks.

But the pilot of this flight followed the passenger’s ejection with a speech to those on board in which he declared himself God on the aircraft as he implored everyone to follow the rules.

“The job of the captain of this aircraft is to get you somewhere safely. That’s my job. So we have the mask policy. We have to comply with it. If we’ve got somebody who doesn’t want to comply we’re not gonna [unintelligible] it’s not up for discussion, it’s not a negotiation.

And on this aircraft I’m God. I decide what happens and we can do it the easy way or the hard way. And at least this fella decided to get off. We had two cops waiting outside to do it the hard way and I’m glad we didn’t have to do that.

And again I don’t want to get into political statements. We all have our feelings about that. Let’s just try to get along.

How taking a stand on a plane against masks makes any sense unless you’re a Member of Congress I don’t quite understand. As the passenger who took the video shared the pilot,

gave a 5 minute speech wen we first got on the plane clearly stating that masks must be worn at all times and it’s totally not negotiable and anyone refusing to wear one would be escorted off the plane immediately—no exceptions.

Yet a passenger still refused, and no surprise, wound up off the aircraft. It certainly makes you wonder what they were thinking, whether they thought the federal government, the TSA, the pilot and law enforcement were all joking?

You know the old line, though, “what’s the difference between God and a pilot? God doesn’t think he’s a pilot.” The pilot of this American Airlines flight wasn’t quite Alec Baldwin. If he were he wouldn’t be flying to Charlotte.

(HT: @bags)

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. I am not flying yet because I won’t put up with the mask, the drama, the poor service , and canceled or delayed flights so I don’t really care if the Captain wants to be god on his flight or not. But for the sake of argument if the pilot is god on his flight he can choose to ignore a passenger or passengers not wearing a mask and get everyone to their destination probably closer to on time than if the pilot makes an issue of it. I do agree a passenger is stupid to get on a plane after all the hoopla of the past year and expect to get a free pass to.not comply.
    But I am hearing from colleagues who are flying that airports and on many flights the rule is not being enforced except in a perfunctory manner. People wearing the mask correctly to get through TSA then wearing it under their nose or even under their chin while in the terminal. Again wearing correctly to board then pulling. It down off their face after the flight attendants walk through. Flight attendants not saying anything if it is below the nose and so forth. Not to mention those who are drinking and eating and not wearing the mask. It is just a game being forced on the public by a nanny government.
    Sooner we get rid of the stupid mandate the sooner our lives get one more step closer to normal.

  2. Tim Dunn,

    Another group of idiots. And I’m a Dem. At least the pic I saw, none of them had masks when on the plane to DC. These are people who are supposed to be setting an example.

    They’re an embarrassment, regardless if the cases are breakthrough or not.

  3. @Roman Scott: Sorry, Did you actually think I, or anyone else here care what you have to say? I thought my previous post made it perfectly clear that I think you are a waste of air. The world would be better off without you and those like you. I should have figured that you would be too dense to understand, and would need it stated more clearly for a simple mind like yours. I would put it on the television with a news ticker full of lies and a big hypocrat party flag in the background….but you aren’t worth the effort so I can’t be bothered. Go wear your useless mask and believe that it will protect you. I’ll just wait for natural selection to deal with you.

  4. If I’m understanding this story correctly, the sequence of events is that the pilot first announced that he was god and that passengers would submit to that assertion in order to get passage, which occurred before the passenger refused to accept passage and deboarded. If that’s right, this is only obliquely related to a refusal to wear a mask and is more properly viewed as the passenger’s refusal to put himself at the tender mercies of a megalomaniac pilot. Another reason why the mask mandate is counterproductive and should be ended immediately.

  5. The captain’s remarks were justified. His tone seems to be light but clear. My ship. What I say goes. Anybody else want to get off?

    These guys have a huge responsibility. Cut him some slack.

  6. Captian on a Airplane is in charge if he calls him self God is ok. Sometimes people only under-
    stand strong language. Why didn’t God give people a more intelligent brain for following rule they
    agreed on when they went on an airplane.

  7. Agree, agree, agree!!

    If a passenger does not want to comply, he can get off the plane and go somewhere else
    where his non-compliance is either tolerated or accepted.

    Again, it is up to the Captain to make the “Command Decision”, as the Pilot In Command.
    How he chooses to convey that to passengers is his choice as well. Once he is in command,
    he is “in charge”, whether passengers like it or not. His responsibility is for ALL passengers,
    the aircraft, the crew and the safe conduct of the flight. As Captain, he is not only the pilot,
    but also the “decider” and “enforcer” of what goes on during his tenure in command.

    If unruly passengers don’t agree, or don’t like it, they have every right to complain to his boss,
    the airlines Chief Pilot or to Senior Management.

    With so many uncooperative and unruly passengers these days, it is apparent that some
    Captains have had to become much more autocratic and authoritive than ever before. The Captain
    is not and never was the problem: the passenger(s) are and were. As such, a Captain has to lay down the law before serious trouble results, and before the flight, once airborne, is adversely affected (which could happen one of these days if this unruly nonsense continues).

  8. I do not know why you would even spend the time to write this other than selfish pride. It is a waste of time for me to even say anything but it is your “god” complex to even judge another person on a social media platform that has no purpose than making yourself feel better than??

Comments are closed.