Christian question alarms flight
Terrified passengers tried to call relatives on their mobile phones
An American Airlines pilot terrified passengers on his flight when he asked Christians to identify themselves and went on to call non-Christians “crazy”.
Some passengers on the flight from Los Angeles to New York were so worried they tried to call relatives on their mobile phones.
The pilot, whose name was not released, asked Christians on Friday’s flight to raise their hands.
He then suggested non-Christians talk to the Christians about their faith.
He went on to say that “everyone who doesn’t have their hand raised is crazy”, passenger Amanda Nelligan told CBS news.
“He continued to say, ‘Well, you have a choice: you can make this trip worthwhile, or you can sit back, read a book and watch the movie’,” she said.
The pilot also told passengers he would be available for discussion at the end of the flight.
‘Bizarre’
Ms Nelligan said passengers had thought the pilot’s behaviour was “bizarre” and wondered whether his comments were a threat.
Flight attendants notified ground control.
American Airlines spokesman Tim Wagner said the incident was being investigated.
“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,” he added.
By: Flood - 14th February 2004 at 22:42
Originally posted by steve rowell
A company spokesman said the results of the internal inquiry will likely not be made public.
No change there, then.
Flood.
By: steve rowell - 14th February 2004 at 07:56
The head of American Airlines offered an apology for one of its pilots asking passengers to discuss Christianity, according to a letter obtained on Friday.
Gerard Arpey, chief executive of American’s parent AMR, said in a letter dated Wednesday and sent to the Anti-Defamation League that he wanted to extend “my apologies to those who were offended by our employee’s remarks.”
A pilot on American Flight 34 from Los Angeles to New York on February 6 made an announcement just after takeoff asking passengers on board who were Christians to raise their hands, a spokesman with the airline said.
The pilot, who had recently returned from an evangelical Christian mission in Costa Rica, then asked the other passengers to ask questions of those who had raised their hands and identified themselves.
Some passengers complained to flight attendants about the announcement. A few said they were worried about safety when the pilot asked them to openly discuss religion.
Arpey said in his letter that the airline was conducting an investigation and the pilot has not flown since the incident.
American has not named the pilot. The union for pilots at American said this was an “isolated incident.”
Arpey said American’s policy is to “promote an environment of respect for the diversity of all persons, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, disability, gender, age or sexual orientation.”
A company spokesman said the results of the internal inquiry will likely not be made public.
By: Flood - 14th February 2004 at 01:11
If I had been a passenger I would have been waiting for the “Better start praying, ‘coz we’re going down…” announcement.
Would this pilots actions have made anyone feel comfortable about flying again – had you been aboard?
Flood.
By: 4 engines good - 13th February 2004 at 18:57
Originally posted by Ren Frew
I hope they have a pool table on the A380, it really takes balls to play pool at 40,000 ft.
A hot tub would be nice, if a little messy. 😀
The AA pilot is certainly entitled to his beliefs but his comments were rather inappropriate, especially in the current climate.
By: Gaurav - 13th February 2004 at 18:45
IS it true that American airlines must have one chrisitan and non christian Pilot?? I think its because one day Christians are meant tot diesspaear from the world or something like that.
By: greekdude1 - 13th February 2004 at 18:00
Actually, I’m going to correct you too, Andrew, just because I’m so anal about that movie. It goes:
Captain Over: Joey, you ever been in a cockpit before?
Joey: No Sir, I’ve never been in a plane before!
Captain Over: You ever…..seen a grown man naked?
By: andrewm - 12th February 2004 at 21:24
greek,
“Joey, have you ever seen a grown man naked” then the worried stewardess buts in quickly to remove Joey lol!
Also classics:
“What the vector Victor (flt. eng. name)?”
“We have clearance clarance (captains name)”
lol and the blow up autopilot. HAHAHAHAH and the valve the stewardess has to fill it up in LMAO hahhahaahhahahahahahah!!!
Couldnt beat it!!!!!!!
By: Ren Frew - 12th February 2004 at 02:09
Originally posted by Nasir
Maybe in the new A380, alongside the duty free shops and the massage parlors, Airlines like American can have an “inquisition” room fitted as well.Hey how about a tub of water onboard for on the “fly” baptism 🙂
I hope they have a pool table on the A380, it really takes balls to play pool at 40,000 ft.
By: Nasir - 12th February 2004 at 01:55
Maybe in the new A380, alongside the duty free shops and the massage parlors, Airlines like American can have an “inquisition” room fitted as well.
Hey how about a tub of water onboard for on the “fly” baptism 🙂
By: Ren Frew - 11th February 2004 at 11:33
Just one question about this… When he asked the Christians to identify themselves, did they take a show of hands or did they have to go to the cockpit and introduce themselves personally?
By: greekdude1 - 11th February 2004 at 06:27
You guys are killin’ me. It’s, “Joey, you ever hang around a gymnasium?” and “Joey, you like movies about Gladiators?” There are 2 others, but I will refrain from posting them at this time.
By: Whiskey Delta - 11th February 2004 at 02:41
So, do you like Gladiator movies?
By: Ren Frew - 11th February 2004 at 00:46
Originally posted by atc pal
Reminds me of the movie “Airplane”. A bit scary though strapped in a few miles high (“eight”? and when you come down);)
The day the captain starts asking the passengers if they’ve ever hung a round a man’s gym is the day I buy a parachute.:eek:
By: andrewm - 11th February 2004 at 00:17
Wys,
Personal experience?
By: wysiwyg - 11th February 2004 at 00:06
If the ba5tard gets on your nerves let rip a smelly one…that’ll keep him quiet for a while.
By: atc pal - 10th February 2004 at 22:51
Reminds me of the movie “Airplane”. A bit scary though strapped in a few miles high (“eight”? and when you come down);)
By: martin_EGTK - 10th February 2004 at 22:32
I have to admit some of the CRM does seem to be just a bit too politically correct for my liking! Sitting in silence for a 9 hour flight accross the pond seems like the only viable option!
By: Whiskey Delta - 10th February 2004 at 22:25
Originally posted by martin_EGTK
…at the top of the no-no list is inflicting your personal opinions on others.
Egads, that limits the conversations now doesn’t it.
Now that CRM has been in place for about 20 years we’re starting to see a backlash from it. It’s initial purpose was to tear down the walls between crew members and open up communications. Now crew members are more than likely to overstep their bounds and are starting to create another set of problems. We joked in our recurrent training that they’ll have to start putting us all through reverse-CRM training. We laughed but the trainers didn’t laugh as hard.
By: martin_EGTK - 10th February 2004 at 22:12
Everyone has their beliefs, I personally am a Christian, BUT, and this is a huge but, personal beliefs have no place on the flight deck, this guy probably intimidated a lot of the passengers on the flight and made everyone feel very uncomfortable, especially the rest of the crew who probably have to fly a few more sectors with him throughout the day.
I’ve spent 13 hours of the last month at Oxford Aviation Training studying CRM (Crew resource management) and at the top of the no-no list is inflicting your personal opinions on others, this guy certainly deserves some form of punishment, maybe a few months studying CRM in a classroom! That will stop him if nothing else does!!!
By: paul the wall - 10th February 2004 at 18:43
Now that is weird, I wonder what was wrong with him?
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February 9, 2004 at 7:17 pm