- Southwest does not condone Employees sharing their personal political opinions while on the job serving customers.
- Some called on the Federal Aviation Administration to get involved and check the pilot’s mental health.
- The airline also had its fair share of criticism from conservatives, for allegedly “cowering to the left-wing mob.”
A viral phrase used to insult US President Joe Biden has triggered an internal investigation by the Southwest Airlines.
Dallas-based carrier announced that it has launched an internal probe after one of its pilots signed off with a ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ phrase though the loudspeaker.
“Southwest does not condone Employees sharing their personal political opinions while on the job serving our Customers, and one Employee’s individual perspective should not be interpreted as the viewpoint of Southwest and its collective 54,000 Employees,” Southwest Airlines said in a statement yesterday.
The controversy was caused by reports that a pilot on a Southwest Airlines flight from Houston, Texas to Albuquerque, New Mexico on Friday said, ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ though the loudspeaker – a recent right-wing conservative meme that has become code for obscenity directed at current Democratic US President Joe Biden.
According to AP reporter Colleen Long, who happened to be on that flight, she was almost removed after trying to ask the pilot about using the phrase.
The airline’s seemingly feeble response to the incident had many calling for the pilot to be publicly identified and fired, while others called for boycotts of the airline as a whole. Some went as far as to compare voicing anti-Joe Biden remarks to declaring allegiance with terrorists.
Southwest’s promise to address the situation directly with the employee in question, following an internal probe, triggered even more backlash and demands for a much stronger statement and concrete action.
Some even called on the Federal Aviation Administration to get involved and check the pilot’s mental health.
Southwest Airline also had its fair share of criticism from conservatives, for allegedly “cowering to the left-wing mob.”
