Crazy Christian Pilot

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2004-02-08 10:12pm

Pilot's crazy rant

By MAKI BECKER
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

An American Airlines pilot terrified passengers aboard a Los Angeles-to-New York flight when he asked Christians to identify themselves and then called those who weren't Christian "crazy," witnesses and an airline spokesman said yesterday.
Fearing the pilot might have some sinister plans for the flight, many frantic passengers tried to reach their families on their cell phones, witnesses told CBS News.

Shortly after takeoff on Friday, the pilot asked people aboard Flight 34 to "raise their hand if they were Christian," according to one passenger, Amanda Nelligan, of Los Angeles, who spoke to CBS.

He then told the passengers that "everyone who doesn't have their hand raised is crazy," Nelligan said.

"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," Nelligan said.

Flight attendants contacted ground control about the incident, assuring passengers that they didn't think they were in any real danger.

Nelligan said she and other passengers thought the behavior was "bizarre" and wondered whether his comments were a threat.

CBS identified the pilot, but confirmation was not immediately available.

American Airline spokesman Tim Wagner said the incident was being investigated, and added that the company has guidelines about appropriate behavior.

The pilot had apparently just returned from a missionary trip to Costa Rica, the spokesman said.

"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," Wagner said.

The 8 a.m. flight arrived at JFK Airport about 4:20 p.m. without incident.

Source

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2004-02-08 10:17pm

I hope he's not union so they can fire his stupid ass.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2004-02-08 10:19pm

Uh.... huhn. I don't know, but I'd be looking to get off the plane, because his comments sound damnedably like he's going to do something stupid on that flight.

"Well, you have a choice: You can make this trip worthwhile, or you can sit back, read a book and watch the movie" sounds chilling. Like find my god, quick, because I'm slamming this plane into a mountain, kind of "worthwhile".

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2004-02-08 11:05pm

If he ends up getting fired and cries discrimination, perhaps someone could tell him how his comments were any different from saying "raise your hand if you're white. Everyone who doesn't have their hand raised is crazy. Well, you have a choice: You can make this trip worthwhile, or you can sit back, read a book and watch the movie,". Of course, pointing to the panic the comments caused could probably be enough to get him fired.

Post by **Gandalf** » 2004-02-08 11:09pm

"Raise your hand if you're Muslim..."

That would get a pretty quick firing.

EmperorMing · Post by **EmperorMing** » 2004-02-08 11:32pm

I hope they fire that jackass. The *last* thing you need to do is spook your passangers, and haveing an employee do this is just bad for business to say the least.

If I was on that flight, you can be damm sure everyone form the FAA on down to the janitor would hear about me complaining.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2004-02-08 11:33pm

Joe wrote:I hope he's not union so they can fire his stupid ass.

Union or not he`s a fucking idiot,and should have his wings clipped for good.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2004-02-08 11:51pm

Dumbass. I'd fire him.

The Duchess of Zeon · Post by **The Duchess of Zeon** » 2004-02-09 12:42am

Howedar wrote:Dumbass. I'd fire him.

Not if he's in a union you wouldn't.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2004-02-09 12:45am

The Duchess of Zeon wrote:
Howedar wrote:Dumbass. I'd fire him.
Not if he's in a union you wouldn't.

Probably not, but I'd have him transfered, flying a cargo plane to shit holes.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-02-09 03:25am

The pilot was the crazy one not the passengers.

CJvR · Post by **CJvR** » 2004-02-09 04:57am

Well employing insane pilots is one way to lose passengers.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-02-09 05:02am

The Duchess of Zeon wrote:
Howedar wrote:Dumbass. I'd fire him.
Not if he's in a union you wouldn't.

I would, and if I couldn't, I'd have him killed. Fuck the unions, they've become a pox on society...

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2004-02-09 05:06am

Unions didn't used to be like that. They are now though...

Anyway, the man is a worthless idiot.

Sebastin · Post by **Sebastin** » 2004-02-09 06:24am

Knife wrote:
The Duchess of Zeon wrote:
Howedar wrote:Dumbass. I'd fire him.
Not if he's in a union you wouldn't.
Probably not, but I'd have him transfered, flying a cargo plane to shit holes.

From what airline pilot friends are telling me flying cargo is extremely popular among pilots and the slots have huge waiting lists.

Better: lease him to the saudi national airline so he can help flying haji to mecca. Maybe he´ll try to convert them.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2004-02-09 10:16am

Now an idiot on a fundie message board is claiming it wasn't threatening...

Right, that's why he said "two lines don't constitute as a rant" (so he obviously didn't actually read the article, and saw the LAST line), nor does he seem to understand that people would not panic over something that is not frightning.

Worlds Spanner · Post by **Worlds Spanner** » 2004-02-09 10:32am

See, it's entirely Christians that give Christianity a bad name.

Worlds Spanner · Post by **Worlds Spanner** » 2004-02-09 10:36am

Gil Hamilton wrote:"Well, you have a choice: You can make this trip worthwhile, or you can sit back, read a book and watch the movie" sounds chilling. Like find my god, quick, because I'm slamming this plane into a mountain, kind of "worthwhile".

I'd say the comment is more creepy than frightening. Fundies talk like this anyway - it's make it worthwhile or have a ncie flight, not make it worthwhile or die.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-02-09 10:40am

The Duchess of Zeon wrote:
Howedar wrote:Dumbass. I'd fire him.
Not if he's in a union you wouldn't.

I don't know. Terrifying the passangers is a really good way to get fired.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-02-09 10:42am

Oh, I've got it. Just fire everyone.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2004-02-09 10:56am

Sebastin wrote:
From what airline pilot friends are telling me flying cargo is extremely popular among pilots and the slots have huge waiting lists.

Better: lease him to the saudi national airline so he can help flying haji to mecca. Maybe he´ll try to convert them.

Well, then, there has to be a shit job in the pilot industry some where which was my intent.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2004-02-09 11:12am

Could be worse, he could've been witnessing to ATC.

Roger, cleared to Newark as filed, flight level two seven zero, departure frequency one two six point six, squacking five seven four three, do you know Jesus?, American one two three.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2004-02-09 11:21am

hopefully they transfer him to some type of job that doesn't involve passengers, at the very least if they can't fire him. although making sure this loon never touches a plane again would be nice.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-02-09 02:23pm

Wicked Pilot wrote:Could be worse, he could've been witnessing to ATC.

Roger, cleared to Newark as filed, flight level two seven zero, departure frequency one two six point six, squacking five seven four three, do you know Jesus?, American one two three.

Was he squawking or quacking there?

Andrew J. · Post by **Andrew J.** » 2004-02-09 04:46pm

The Duchess of Zeon wrote:
Howedar wrote:Dumbass. I'd fire him.
Not if he's in a union you wouldn't.

Of course not. If he's union, one would have him whacked, and his body buried next to Jimmy Hoffa's.