A flight attendant on American Airlines flight 4907 from Aspen to Dallas was photographed by a passenger while wearing a Palestinian flag pin. This is quickly spreading across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Reddit. Hamas did not just murder Jews on October 7, they took Americans hostages as well.
Short memories always surprise me, since TWA became part of American Airlines and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine hijacked multiple TWA flights (not to mention Pan Am, JAL, Swiss, Lufthansa, KLM and Air france). The PLO hijacked Lufthansa and Pan Am flights as well.
Here, though, it’s an American Airlines regional jet flight that appears operated by SkyWest:
Passengers on American Airlines flight #4907 to Dallas yesterday were startled to see airline crew wearing a Palestinian flag pin.
Is @AmericanAir now flying to Gaza? pic.twitter.com/y9lYH1HJCw
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) August 23, 2025
Additional photos of the flight attendant: pic.twitter.com/uKAAmmY4vz
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) August 23, 2025
Observers will also note the mask and AFA pin advocating for unionization of cabin crew at the airline.
American Airlines Uniform Standards Do Not Allow This
American Airlines uniform standards simply do not allow these pins. Wearing your own pin that is not company-issued (such as part of a company-sponsored affinity group) is not permitted. Here’s the version of the company’s flight attendant uniform standards that were issued when the current uniforms came out.
Here are some of the allowable pins (note that different work groups have different allowable pins).
Flight attendants break company policy all the time. We saw Let’s Go Brandon pins a few years ago. From time to time the airline will crack down on violations.
American Airlines did not respond to a request for comment.
But This Is Actually SkyWest
The photos and video are reportedly from American Airlines flight 4907 on Friday – a Bombardier CR7 from Aspen to Dallas – Fort Worth. That’s an American Eagle flight that would have been operated by SkyWest.
SkyWest cabin crew uniforms are different from American Airlines mainline uniforms. Their flight attendant career guide lists appearance standards.
As a representative of SkyWest, our flight attendants are expected to follow all uniform and appearance guidelines. Extreme hair styles and colors are not permitted. Visible tattoos are permitted with limitations based on dimension and location. Tattoos that do not fall within these guidelines must be covered by the uniform or with skin tone compatible tattoo makeup. Bandages are not an approved form of tattoo coverage. Offensive tattoos must not be visible. Single stud nose piercings that are 2mm or smaller are allowed and two piercings are allowed per ear. Gauges must be plugged with clear or skin toned plugs and must not exceed ½”. Other facial, mouth, or tongue piercings are not permitted.
Here are personal appearance standards. Airline rules are that “Up to three lapel pins are permitted. Only SkyWest or partner‑issued lapel pins may be worn.”
SkyWest shares,
We want every customer to have a positive travel experience, and feel respected and valued throughout their journey with us. We take the concerns of our customers seriously and we are reviewing the situation.
Several Airlines Have Cabin Crew Wearing Palestine Flag Pins
Several airlines have had controversies with their crew over support for a Palestinian state and even Hamas. It’s put Delta in damage control mode and caused JetBlue to tighten its uniform policy.
United Airlines, for the past few years the U.S. carrier whose politics have leaned farthest left, concocted the argument that flight attendants aren’t violating uniform standards by wearing Palestine pins because they are ‘language pins’ (that crewmembers speak Palestinian?). United has also refused to say whether a pilot who celebrated the atrocities committed by Hamas on 10/7 still flies for them.
Now seeking to curry favor with the Trump administration, United only allows flight attendants to wear American flags on their uniforms. The airline donated $1 million to President Trump’s inauguration.
What If Employees Want To Speak Out On Gaza?
There’s little question that the civilian plight in Gaza is heartbreaking, though as the Current Thing it has gotten far more attention than perhaps the world’s greatest refugee crisis in Syria where over half the nation’s Muslims were forced to leave their homes. It is more difficult to use the situation in Syria as a bludgeon against Israel and Jews. Meanwhile, every statement about the plight in Gaza should accurately end with “because of Hamas.” Hamas uses hospitals and schools as bases, and their own people (and hostages) as shields.
It is possible to wear a Palestinian flag and believe you’re advocating for two states. That isn’t usually what it means. Spain recognizes a Palestinian State. The Catalan independence movement would like a word! So, recently, have Ireland, Norway and Mexico.
Hamas, though, doesn’t want a ‘two state solution’ they want a single state from the river to the sea that destroys Israel.
They are an existential threat if allowed to remain in power and rebuild, so Israel has a right and ethical justification for taking out that threat. Any criticism of Israel over humanitarian conditions requires a clear statement by the critic of what they’d have Israel do differently while simultaneously eliminating this threat.
In any case, an employer’s airplane cabin isn’t the place for this debate, with front line airline employees voicing political positions and aiming those at passengers. The issue is asymmetric speech. Airline employees exercise power over passengers – power over whether they’ll board and fly, or whether they’ll be considered “disruptive” for expressing their own contrary opinions. And bringing politics into confined space that brings together people of all backgrounds and beliefs is already enough of a problem with passengers.
The mask is enough to shame and fire her. No one should be wearing a mask in 2025 unless they are very ill in which case they shouldn’t be traveling or working. I applaud businesses that have banned employees from wearing masks (and there are quite a few of them)
AC, couldnt agree more the mask is just another sign of sheer stupidity.
Stick. With. The. Uniform.
Or get a different job that lets you wear whatever you want when on the clock.
Kudos Gary. Her behavior is totally unacceptable and any airline allowing it is entirely complicit with a pin comparable to a NAZI pin supporting genocide of Jews.
These people have no idea what they are supporting. They would be the same ones to wear a Che or Stallin t-shirt and think it’s cool. They should be sternly warned and then fired if it doesn’t stop. The company uniform isn’t a refrigerator or the bumper of a car where you can put personal junk.
Stick with th euniform. Period.
This said, there is a mental shortcult in the narrative above:
Palestinian Flag = Hamas . What about people living in the West Bank? These were never represented by Hamas? What about Christian palestinians?
Exactly what DaninMCI said.
These are mostly baphoons, babbling about intersectional justice, trans genocide and any other leftist invention under the sun.
The fact they have aligned themselves with radical Islamists and arab nationalists is no surprise.
They always collapse at the end though – only question is how many victims their baphoonery will cost globally.
Is this going to lead to a fine?
I was taught as part of my lessons in social politeness that there are three things you don’t discuss on the job: politics, religion, and sex. This definitely violates two of those precepts, and maybe she’s hoping for the third. For someone in a front-facing position with direct contact with patrons, this is unacceptable. Fire her.
Clearly discrimination and suppression of free speech given the star of David is “allowable”
Are you sure you’re not suffering Catholic guilt?
No,I recall you are happy to accept the massacre of tens of thousands of women and children because the current Israeli administration are responsible…
Freedom for all US citizens is supposed to be in the constitution on the other side of the pond we haven’t forgotten about the failed attempt at armed insurrection
@Thing 1 @Minos get it. Stick. With. The. Uniform.
And why is everyone all worked-up about hummus anyways? Tastes good with a little pita bread. Live a little!
Many people who would support this flight attendant’s right to express themself are being quiet. Why? Because of the histrionics being perpetrated by some people who seem to think that disagreeing with Israeli political policy is tantamount to anti-semitism.
It is not, as stated by many of my American Jewish friends and colleagues who are absolutely appalled at the humanitarian crisis caused by the Israeli government.
Supporting the Palestinian people who suffering famine, death and unimaginable trauma is not anti-Semitic, it’s basic human kindness.
AC and David should be banned from flying. Nobody should try to shame someone from wearing a mask. To do so is domestic terrorism.
As far as the flag pin, if they speak the Palestinian dialect and accent of Arabic, wear the pin. If they don’t, don’t wear the pin.
@derek — You must be doing a caricature… I may not agree with @AC or @David’s ‘hot take’ on masks, but no one here need be banned from flying.
@1990, not a caricature. AC and David did not say that they prefer not to wear masks and don’t themselves. They said others should be fired for wearing a mask. Because of that, AC and David should be banned from flying any of the major carriers. Maybe allow them a trial period of being able to fly on Spirit and Frontier?
There is way too must hostility and stupidity about disease prevention. Covid kills people. More people die from Covid than from car accidents. In the early pandemic, over one million people died in the U.S., more than how many US troops died in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan combined. During the early pandemic, it was like 9/11 happened every single day.
@derek — Yeah, I’m often disappointed when anyone calls for the immediate ‘canceling’ of flight crews or other workers on here; like, for the most part, everyone’s just trying their best, doing their job, and there’s no need for the nth-degree extremes.
As for Covid, yup, again, I’m with you on all that; I still remember the refrigerator trucks with bodies in NYC, starting mid-March 2020; so much change and tragedy. We who are still here are fortunate to have survived that period.
That said, the illness is still going around, so, everyone, please do take care out there. Kinda shocking this admin wants halt all vaccines for everyone… doesn’t sound very ‘maha’ to me…
@1990, in a shocking but good development, RFK Jr., despite firing the entire panel and replacing them with his people, the panel recommended flu shots this fall. If I had to pick one, flu shot or Covid shot, I would pick the Covid shot because the chances of death or hospitalization in the ICU is greater with Covid.
BTW, if people don’t remember, RFK, Jr. is a Democrat, not a Republican. He ran against Biden for the Democratic party nomination in 2024. So if you are a MAGA supporter, don’t be happy with RFK Jr. He is the bad guy if you are a Republican.
Hamas has a great publicity machine. The rest of the Arab states hate the Palestinians, consider them barbaric, and unemployable. My brother built and managed the Dubai aquarium, and when he referred to getting lower cost labor from there. They responded they are animals Peter, we want nothing to do with them. They are terroists unfortunately have taken over the strip.
Gary, Please be more specific when you name an airline in an article. This person doesn’t fly for American Airlines. The individual flies for & is employed by a regional carrier…..not AAL.
This person is wearing an AFA/Association of Flight Attendants union pin. American Airlines cabin crews are the 28,000 strong APFA/Association of Professional Flight Attendants.
Huge difference in the details.
Those who advocate for punishment for wearing a mask to keep from getting sick or getting others sick should themselves be punished for such advocacy.
If this employee knowingly and willingly broke company policy just fire them and give the job to someone willing to follow company policy.
This is not an issue of self-expression. When a company has a dress code, it needs to be followed. If an employee chooses to not follow the rules of their employment, they should be suspended or fired. There is a reason corporations have dress codes and policies regarding appearance as well as the posting of racist, hateful t comments online, yet many think, with an attitude of entitlement, that the rules don’t apply to them. .
I wish I could get a feed of just the occasional excellent and insightful articles about the airline industry from this blog.
The only thing worse than the endless clickbait stories is when Gary adds his hot takes about hot button issues… As if I didn’t get enough of those from the rest of the internet.
I confuse the flags of Mexico and Italy all the time. I would imagine that the typical AA passenger likely would confuse the PLO flag with the flags of Jordan, Kuwait, Sudan, and Dubai. I flay AA and EK to DXB, and the EK colors are similar to UAE colors but in a different sort of shape and pattern. It’s all stylisticially confusing, especially to the typical AA flyer after a few canned cocktails served by the trolley dolly.
I also have a hard time figuring out what Airline I’m flying.
A couple years ago, I was looking for my AA flight, and when I got to my assigned gate, I thought that maybe there was a gate change or that I was at the wrong gate, because I saw the TWA special livery on the aircraft tail. I had a panic attack. Then I carefully re-considered and understood that it was a historical thing.
@AlohaDaveKennedy Fascinating to me how many people clutched their pearls and got the vapors over “cancel culture” now want to cancel anyone who they disagree with.
Your absolutism in terms of adherence to company policy is cute…until the pendulum sings and it’s you on the chopping block. And, honestly, it’s a bit disappointing that you would seek to destroy someone’s financial well-being because they are wearing a pin you don’t like.
We all have to deal with things we do not like, find offensive or are misaligned with our moral compass. The absolutism of the moment is why we are in a cold civil war.
@Parker — Yeah, there was always a disingenuousness by that side… ‘rules for thee but not for me…’ hypocrisy. The only issue is they have no shame. (Of course, they think the same about us.)
@1990 – it’s not that they have no shame, it’s that they are prepared to do whatever it takes to win…at all costs. We have moral lines we will not cross…and it’s why we are back on our heels.
They have no ethical boundaries. Winning is the point and they do not care how many people are harmed in the process. It’s al about them and what they can get for themselves, everyone else be damned.
Their hate, fear and intolerance drive actions that are not only shameful, but also behaviors they will cry foul over when the tables are turned. Politics are cyclical. Their day is coming. Hopefully we will not be a cruel as they have been. No one wins in this “all or nothing” world we are living in.
Militant flight attendant and social warrior needs some remedial training. Probably couldn’t even find Gaza on a map. I’m also willing to bet that mask is part of her costume. Airplane is the only place she wears it. I’ve seen this game played many times.
The mask says it all. That wearing a pin is more important than a paycheck.
She’s wearing the company “flag” (uniform). She’s violating company policy. The company must remain neutral to risk any (further!!) embarrassment, passenger or stockholder revolt. Regardless, her actions can imply or the passengers can infer, that the company is sanctioning her beliefs. Buh bye flight attendant!
@DaninMCI –
totally agree with you. But they wouldn’t know who Che or Stalin are… 🙁
Clueless and provocative act. Once she is shown the door, she should boogie over to Palestine and wear all the pins she wants. See how that works out. If AA doesn’t belly up and fire her, they are signaling they, too, support this activity.
@Parker — We seem more ‘weak’ than ‘cruel,’ and, apparently, not very effective, especially if the party continues to distract itself with ‘culture war’ nonsense, while relying on centrist, corporate geriatrics like Schumer or false-hope of accountability like do-nothing Garland; as I’ve said before, it’d be nice to see actual, younger, more vibrant Progressive leadership, for once…
Arabs are also Semites
Palestinian flag represents the state of Palestine and the people of Palestine… Hamas has its own flag which is very different… the mere fact that in your article you equate a national flag with a militia shows how ignorant and biased you are.
I sympathize with the Israelis that suffered on OCT 7, I also sympathize with the thousand of children (that you do not mention) who were starved or bombed to death while trying to convince the world that this is OK. This article is anti Semitic in it by it self considering that Palestine’s ARE semites themselves!