An American Airlines pilot explains his reasoning to his passengers after a brief delay and the removal of another unruly passenger.
Shared to Reddit, the video captured by a passenger aboard an American Airlines flight last week shows a pilot speaking to a plane full of passengers as he explains the reason for the delay. In an even-keeled voice, the pilot lays his reasoning out: “It’s not a negotiation. On this aircraft, I am God.”
Apparently, the flight had yet another unruly passenger who (thankfully) left the flight under his/her own willpower instead of being forcibly removed by law enforcement, who was refusing to wear their face mask. After his announcement, the passengers break out into light applause.
This pilot is not wrong in his clarification of his authority (if not a bit dramatic). Indeed, current law supports the pilot’s assertions (see below). The law covering this authority has its roots in maritime law whereby the captain of ship is more or less “god” on his/her vessel.
“The pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft.”
Cornell Law; FAR 91.3
AINOnline notes, “A ship’s captain had absolute authority and was the unquestioned commander responsible for the ship, cargo, and crew.” This philosophy has more or less been applied to airline captains while in flight. While on the ground, the skipper, however, shares joint responsibility with the dispatcher.
While we certainly aren’t lawyers it certainly seems like this captain was well within his rights to remove this passenger and aside from being a bit dramatic about it, he seems to have made the right call. The last thing aircrew wants these days is an in-flight incident which is why crew prefers to remove potentially unruly passengers from flights before they take off where their options are less flexible (divert or carry on).
The Federal Aviation Administration has stiffened penalties for uncoorperative passengers including doling out large fines to some, like this $10,000 fine to one passenger on a recent Mesa Airlines flight. Since January of this year, the FAA has reported over 3,000 unruly passenger incidents, a radical increase over prior years.
Despite the pandemic winding down in some parts of the world – and with it, mask regulations are being relaxed – the FAA (and thus airlines) still require face masks or coverings to be worn in flight. The same is true for airports as well.
And many people are very unhappy with the continuation of these rules.
h/t to View from the Wing
Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I may also earn commissions from other affiliate programs as applicable.
8 comments
The little snarky (and Trumpy) comment about “many people†feeling a certain way conveys no useful information and was clearly designed to be provocative to the vast majority people who are concerned about their health, their loved ones and those around them. Other than the fact that it became socially divisive because certain politicians decided to turn mask wearing into a culture war issue, what is the problem with wearing masks??? Healthcare workers have worn them for well over a century to protect themselves and their patients from disease. In the midst of a global pandemic why should mask wearing not be required for passengers sitting close together in a metal tube for many hours while breathing recirculated air? Those who oppose wearing masks need to be making a SCIENTIFIC case for why they are not necessary. Freedum does not cut it.
Why are most airline/aviation writers trying so hard to undermine crew decisions regarding safety and security on-board? The rules and regulations are what they are and need to be enforced. There is no ‘one right way’ to deal with folks who are not compliant. It is , what it is. Yes, there are service standards, but those are out the door when safety or security is compromised. Crews are ultimately on-board for everyone’s safety.
Spot on Jake.
So called ‘aviation/airline writers’ should be supporting the rules instead of trying to be woke.
The captain was exercising his authority so there was no need for the ‘writer’ to be snarky about it.
As the Brits say, “Spot on”.
As a retired flight attendant I can only agree with what the captain said. OK, calling himself to be God is a bit over the top, but in the end he is the deciding authority on board. In my 30 years of flights, there have been several occasions where passengers have been refused. Mostly because they were drunk. But also I remember one guy being handed to Thai authorities on a flight to Bangkok and Manilla, because he grabbed a female colleague from behind. Fortunately I retired 9 years ago, and I don’t have to deal with the pandemic on a flight. But I read about incidents. I can only say that it was a lot easier when I worked.
I just hope that every captain on every flight shows he has backbone. We need that these days.
The Captain was emphasizing a point that under no circumstance could be misunderstood. There is no time for these issues given all the other responsibilities he has in the safe operation of a flight. Everyone cheered. Good for him.
His “God” comment was tongue-in-check but got the point across. It wasn’t ego but a reiteration of the rules as to who is in charge. Kudos to the Captain.
You even said it, the pilot is referring to “god of the vessel’ which is part of maritime history and holds true for aviation today. He is not being “dramatic” at all. I would be that 99% of the traveler have no idea about FARs and Command Responsibilities. Now they know. Also, the dispatcher is not responsible for the flight while it is on the ground; that is incorrect. They are there to assist in flight planning and monitoring. Here is a reference for you (since you are an “aviation website”) https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/121.533