Delta says that while the overall culture and corporations are moving away from DEI, they’re leaning in. And they’ve banned a comedian from the airline for life after he tweeted a photo of a Delta flight attendant’s pride pin (he quickly removed the flight attendant’s face from his post) and used vulgarity.
According to Delta’s ban letter,
During the flight, you took a photo of our flight attendant, who was wearing a pin permitted under Delta policies. You subsequently posted the photo on X, along with vulgar and hurtful language towards our flight attendant’s perceived sexual orientation. Delta is proud to employ 100,000 individuals from many backgrounds who serve all our customers and their communities.
In short, the post was disrespectful towards our flight attendant and contrary to Delta’s values and culture.
We have deemed your behavior to be unacceptable and made the decision to now allow you to fly Delta Air Lines. For the safety of our crew members and our customer, we cannot risk this type of behavior from you again.
Day 83 of being treated like a terrorist by@Delta – put on their NO FlY LIST for a tweet. The will not answer the phone or call me back. They claimed we needed to have an "IMPORTANT" conversation. My guess is a woke employee planned to shame me for not having the same views as… https://t.co/VTtRysc0gn
— Tyler Fischer (@TyTheFisch) October 29, 2024
Delta CEO Ed Bastian has advocated that any passenger banned from one airline should be banned from all airlines and placed on a terrorism list.
Delta takes significant subsidies from the federal government and from state governments. During the pandemic the federal government took an ownership stake in Delta (and other airlines). Banning passengers for offensive speech when not even flying seems problematic.
However, even if you think that this comedian should be banned from Delta – and banned for life – surely his tweet shouldn’t cause him to be banned by the federal government from all airlines forever?
Tyler Fischer was apparently once named “New York’s Funniest Comedian” and he doesn’t seem all that funny. But not being funny – or even offensive humor off the aircraft – seems a bit of a stretch for a ban to me.
@Uncle Jeff — Ugh, here you go again. Tom is spelled T-O-M, not J-E-F-F. As with your earlier comments on other posts at VFTW, you are misguided, at best.
On this post, more accurately, please note that Delta’s headquarters is Atlanta, which is a blue stronghold in a red state. Further, Delta has a practical monopoly in Atlanta, so they can offend nearly whoever they want and still get by just fine. Whether that’s a good thing or not depends on who you ask. However, I am not a fan of monopolies, regulatory capture, or any anti-competitive practices because I am for consumers, for small businesses, and a fan of personal freedoms, even if I personally find this comedian’s detestable.
The irony ! A jerk tries to get a gay employee fired but gets banned himself. Sooo sweet.
So… The post that this “supposed” comedian showed… The one that “got him banned”, was actually a lie.
“This is it”, he says in a post that accompanied this article.
Well, again, that was a lie.
The original post did not have a black box with text across it. Instead, he posted the flight attendant’s face.
It was a direct threat against the flight attendant (by posting the individual ‘s face) and this “comedian” got exactly what he deserved.
And while he may whine about his free speech, nobody is stopping him from saying anything (including whining about other individuals’ speech, which they have every right to say).
What he doesn’t have a right to do is to put other people in harm’s way and Delta has every right to protect their employees.
So, “No flights for you!” is perfectly acceptable. Now, continue your whining, funny man. Oh, and I hope the flight attendant takes legal action against you.
@Key West — I read ‘no flights for you!’ in the tone of ‘no soup for you!’ and I believe that was your intention. I miss that show. Wish it had continued.
Hey Delta,
We want to get from point A to point B without have people’s personal agendas shoved in our face.
Is that too much to ask?
I’m sick of our society enabling jerks who make our lives worse. Good on Delta for banning the whiny assh0le.
I think Tyler Fischer is a pretty funny guy. He can be a bit edgy sometimes. I have no idea what the deleted tweet showed, but it shouldn’t show someone’s face and try to shame them (that isn’t doxxing, which is revealing private information, like someone’s home address). On one hand, the employee is wearing whatever she/he wore in a public setting, so there’s no expectation of privacy. On the other hand, businesses should have the right to fire customers if they feel like their employees are abused. There’s no freedom of speech in a private company. But the punishment seems overly harsh. I would think that making amends for the offense should be sufficient to let him back on. And certainly trying to ban him on other airlines is over the line. If Delta pushes it too far, it might attract some unwanted attention from the federal government.
I normally like your blog, but why don’t you be more specific about the content of the original post?
Your viewers can view it here: https://imgur.com/a/bVoG1Kv
Not sure why any flight attendant needs to wear anything other than name and language pins. Any company that allows it is just dumb. Are swatstika pins ok? Who decides? Sounds like passenger is a jerk who was triggered by poor business policies. Next we will hear about Delta’s federal licenses being paused for being too woke. I suppose that will be fine by the you get what you ask for crowd here too. People get a grip. Both parties here are wrong.
@Gary Delta is a private company. They can ban whomever they want.
If you don’t like it, you can vote with your wallet and choose to fly another airline.
Delta may be a publicly traded corporation following corporate law but they are also a common carrier and are required to carry most passengers without differentiation. Sooner or later a court case will make it’s way to the Supreme Court and precedent will take place on whether or not a person such as this can be denied the right to travel on a given airline and what factors can be considered to deny a person the right to travel in such a manner. I would consider brawling at the gate area to be an indication that such behavior may continue onboard so boarding can be denied. There is probably no need for a lifetime ban in that case unless such actions take place again. Posting online in a provocative manner may not reach even that standard unless a specific threat has been made. Delta’s control over their employees is much different than their control over their passengers.
Not a fan of DEI but ultimately Delta is a private business and should be allowed to decide who they will or will not serve. A comedian playing the victim role over this is sad. He’s not a victim. He did this to himself. Delta has every right to tell him to fly elsewhere.
Why stop there, ban him everywhere, and take away his driver’s license and his guns? As much as I think he is a very “average” comedian there is this little thing called free speech for better or worse.
Bad behavior should have consequences, & hate is not free speech.
If it involved an employee + hate speech + public posting, yes he should be banned for life from Delta. And this shows very poor judgement by the passenger so yeah, I can see why not wanting him on other airlines would be appropriate. The last thing you want is an attention seeker from publically harassing employees in a confined space for hours.
@David O
Delta is not a private company as they are heavily subsidized by taxpayers.
Delta is a common carrier and not a private automobile.
Almost no one believes a “private company” can ban “whomever” they want, even if airlines were private and not common carriers, you would flip out of Spirit airlines got tired of the rift raft and decided to only let Whites and Eastern Asians fly. In fact, you’d be calling for their heads.
@Ken Vengren
“Hate” is free speech. Hate is also extremely subjective. Nazis and Soviet Communist felt the same way as you.
Many people are fine with cruelty and hate, until they face consequences for their actions of hate, cruelty and division. The comedian is not sorry for what he did, he’s only sorry he was held accountable for what he did.
Delta flies so many people on a daily basis, I can guarantee you that there are plenty of other people who have made tasteless social media posts. Do I condone that type of behavior? Definitely not, but we still live in a (somewhat) free country. I think where he crossed the line is taking a photo of a Delta employee. Even though he removed the face of the employee, that’s still unacceptable. I mean, would you (general reference, not directed at Gary) want someone to come into your place of work, take a picture of you, post it on the Internet, and then mock you just for a small accessory on your clothing? I’m guessing a lot of people would NOT be okay with this.
In short, this is ultimately a company protecting their employee. More companies should do that, because they are nothing without the people who work for them.
This Tyler Fischer creep should be banned from polite society. Shunned everywhere for a few months. Serve his exile in Guantanamo. That, or bring back public humiliation in punishment. A couple days in the blocks. Too many of these az*oles suffer or feel no shame for their reprehensive behavior. They must be taught manners!
Glibertarians vs Libertarians
This thread is precious.
This brings to mind another comedian who said that he does not suffer fools gladly because that merely encourages them.
For all those who say a private company should not be allowed to refuse service to customers, what about the Colorado bakery that refused to sell a wedding cake to a gay couple? The Supreme Court supported the baker.
@1990, you said, “@Key West — I read ‘no flights for you!’ in the tone of ‘no soup for you!’ and I believe that was your intention. I miss that show. Wish it had continued.”
You’re right! That WAS the tone I was going for! See, that show WAS comedy.
This “comedian” isn’t funny. He was threatening a Delta employee and got exactly what he deserved.
Oh, in the ORIGINAL post, this “comedian” publicly stated that he was going to start using a non-WOKE airline… So why are you whining when Delta simply agreed with your sentiment?
You didn’t want to fly a WOKE airline and they are ensuring that you get your wish… “No flights for you!”
FAFO
@ David O — Not exactly.
This one is interesting for the sake of the comments because it puts the usual suspects in awkward positions. If you stick up for the airline, you’re advocating corporate censorship – which many have skewered in the context of social media platforms, opining that conservative views were being unfairly squelched. If you stick up for the comedian, you’re seemingly advocating at least unpleasant speech, perhaps hateful, maybe even threatening speech. Not sure where to land on this one, except to say people & companies really should strive to be nicer and more respectful to one another.
@Karl Rupp
Let me ask you a question… Let’s say you were the flight attendant?
People start harassing you and threatening you because some “comedian” with a Twitter following (I refuse to call it the 24th letter of the alphabet) posts a harassing tweet with your name and your face?
Where do you fall?
Empathy much?
If he apologized for this he should not be banned.
We are a free country and doing this shows we really are not free.
He removed the post. The gay pin bothered him. He was just posting his disapproval.
He believes in a man and a woman…..heterosexual.
He made a mistake and this was just TOO HARSH.
JMO
Customers today are treated very badly unfortunately.
@Key West
If you’re asking me personally….
-If I’m the flight attendant I’m considering every time I elect to put the pin on (whether that be an American flag, pride symbol, or whatever signifier of my beliefs) that there are pros and cons to my choice, with at least one con being potential recrimination and responsive free speech from those who see my pin, and at least one pro being that I am manifesting my personal values and identity, and I ask myself whether I accept those cons for the pros;
-If I’m the comedian, I’m considering that my livelihood depends on the same free speech rights that I’m impeaching by attacking the FA for exercising those same wearing the pin and exercise their own free speech;
-If I’m either one, or the airline, I seek to combat speech I don’t like with speech of my own, not retribution for the speaker whose message offended me.
That’s where I land.
This is on DL management for even allowing any pins other than an American flag lapel to be worn by any of the employees while in uniform on duty. No MAGA, BLM or anything else. Their job is to serve their clients and provide excellent customer service, not to make any political or social statements.
Diarrhea Delta and Ed Bastard do it again. It is inexcusable for ANY Fortune 500 company employee to make a political or philanthropic statement on their uniform when they are in a service-oriented business. For example, Susan G Komen supports breast cancer research. If Diarrhea Delta wants to support it, fine–but don’t shove that philanthropic support down the throats of customers who already overpay Diarrhea Delta for grossly substandard service.
I always, without exception, decline to support charities where a for-profit vendor (like a grocery store) asks for a donation on their behalf or parades a political advertisement. And then, I start using their competitors. Unfortunately, such messages are prolific and I just have to stomach them sometimes.
All I have to say is SHAME, SHAME, SHAME on Diarrhea Delta and Ed Bastard for promoting LGBTQ nonsense to your customers. Whether the customers agree with that position or not, you have a duty to your shareholders first. If the shareholders pass it in a resolution, fine. Until then, keep your mouth shut and your uniforms free and clear of such crap.
@arthur…The American flag could represent a political or social statement to any number of people.
While I’m pleased with Delta standing up for its employees, I do agree that the flight attendants should only wear their wings and the flags of nations that they speak the language. Nothing else! I’m beginning to think I should fly only foreign airlines as 99% of my flights are international.
I’m not sure where the “threatening” comes in. I saw the imgur of the post (sans the person’s face) but don’t see any threatening action there. But then again, simply misgendering someone is now “threatening”. And I’m a gay male. Personally I don’t wear ANY pins/logos/etc. when I work. Work is work to me, and I wear the company logo/apron that we’re required to. I am there to do my job and nothing more and nothing less. Now, I have co-workers who have Pride pins, African-American heritage pins, etc. I personally don’t care. But I’m sure someone will get bent out of shape about something, which is why I don’t wear any. I have enough a*****e customers on the rare times when I encounter them to deal with. Now, was the post in poor taste? Sure, but show me a comedian nowadays who doesn’t drop an F-bomb or say something political that either side gets all pissy over. (Lighten up, America!).
Personally I think Delta should’ve given a warning at most rather than ban. But then again, as a Libertarian that is also their prerogative. But I find the *reasoning* behind it hard to digest. Although perhaps there was more to the post than the Imgur photo showed? Like he said that person should be beaten? (that’s threatening, IMO). But then again, we’ve become so touchy lately that almost anything is “threatening”.
I’m sorry. Perhaps I missed it. Does this affect Amex’ lifetime rule on Delta’s co-branded cards?
“For all those who say a private company should not be allowed to refuse service to customers, what about the Colorado bakery that refused to sell a wedding cake to a gay couple? The Supreme Court supported the baker.”
Not equivalent. The Colorado baker (or his bakery) was not a common carrier. Look up “common carrier” on Wikipedia.
Why do commenters say that Delta is a “private company”? No it is not . . . it is a common carrier and traded as a public company on NYSE. I’m disappointed that hurt feelings have escalated from bad manners to essentially a felony. In this case punishment for life without judication is inappropriate especially by a public company. What form of punishment is next, medieval stocks at the airport or a public stoning? This is a hill our culture may not want to die on.
DL is cleaning up their planes and taking out the “trash”. Good job DL!
DL is a private company and therefore has the right to refuse service. Even if the reason is pathetic, or not.
@ George N Romey . . . I disagree. DL is a publicly traded company and a licensed Common Carrier. Seems to me that decisions are made much differently at a “private” company than they are at a “public” company. Private companies are solely accountable to the owner whereas public companies are accountable to Board of Directors and ultimately stockholders (or a hedge fund as we see with SW). Th only “business” with least amount of accountability is the government.
@ Gary. Have you ever considered putting a character count limit on your comment section? Not censorship but a celebration of the art of brevity. I like reading others thoughts and opinions but not dissertations.
“We have deemed your behavior to be unacceptable and made the decision to now allow you to fly Delta Air Lines. For the safety of our crew members and our customer, we cannot risk this type of behavior from you again.”
This is Delta letter from the post and it says they made the decision to now allow you to fly Delta airlines”?
This doesn’t jive with the post…saying they are allowing him to fly? Is the Delta ban letter for real?
Bravo to my fellow gay Liberterian @mjonis for his/her spot-on comments! I completely concur. IMO, I found plenty of poor taste and a lack of humor in the post, but there was absolutely nothing threatening in it. And hate speech is still protected speech. There’s a simple litmus test: if you support the right of people you despise to speak, you’re for free speech. And DL needs to stick to NO pins outside of DL pins – period. Problem solved.
Im gay and give zero fuks. I’ve seen him on TV and find him funny.
@One Trippe — You truly are mendacious. You only pretend to care about free speech. Others may have forgotten, but I remember your earlier comments across many posts at VFTW, complaining to Gary, requesting he ‘mute’ and/or ‘ban’ others–not because they did anything wrong, but merely because you disagree with something they said. Just admit it–you are a rabid partisan, and instead of engaging in meaningful debate, you’d rather petition the referee to ‘cancel’ your opponent. Shameful. If you can’t handle the heat, get out of the kitchen!
“…and made the decision to now allow you to fly Delta…”
Did someone intend to write “not” instead of “now”?
I love the multiple comments saying almost exactly the same thing that just happen to come in one after another but cleverly under different names. He sure fooled us by changing names.
@Christian — Call ’em out by their ‘names,’ good sir. Even better if you can briefly remind us what these ‘folks’ have said before on here. Remind these bigots that they are actually outnumbered on here and everywhere. Appeasement and indifference do not help. Speak up. Fight the good fight.
Shame on Delta. I hope that the Trump Administration comes down on Delta like a tonne of bricks.
I see that Delta allows its employees to wear pins promoting “Pride”. That begs the question: Does Delta also allow its employees to wear pins opposing “Pride”?
Flight Attendants for Delta and for that matter, any airline ought to do their job and not push or promote their sexuality to their customers like the flight attendant who wore a rainbow “pride” pin did.
@Dale — So, if ‘they’ don’t conform to your worldview, you want them punished. Got it.
In that case, we’re all hypocrites, so nothing matters. Nihilism. Anarchy. And whoever has more ‘power’ wins–‘might makes right’–screw the vulnerable–truth, rules, norms, decency be damned. For the rest of us, we can either ‘punch’ up or down, or just watch.
That doesn’t seem ‘good’ for most of us. No empathy or compassion. It feels like a lot of innocent folks are gonna get hurt that way. A bit too Darwinian, and when we don’t even need to be that harsh to one another. There is enough to go around. It’s 2025, not the Dark Ages.
Clearly, you and others think you’re immune from such harms, so you gleefully dish out the hate. How delightful and privileged that must be. Don’t worry, the leopards won’t get you. You’re safe!