American Airlines Cites Obama for Delay; Hysteria Ensues

[Bonchie]

Can a meteor just hit us already?

Pilot had a Trump sticker on his bag so that means he can't mention Obama's name without a political firestorm. He announced that they were delayed because of a TFR for President Obama. A NBC "journalist" on the plane rapidly tweeted out that a pilot with a Trump sticker was blaming Obama for the delay.

You can read the timeline from there. Wailing and gnashing of teeth.

And now AA responded saying they are referring the matter to their leadership team. Do I think the pilot will actually get in trouble? Depends on how hot the fire gets. But AA has to put on a good front for all the foaming at the mouth tweeters I guess.

https://twitter.com/AnthonyNBCNews/status/794699164458348545?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

https://twitter.com/AmericanAir/status/794705733388410880?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

 

[GRG55]

One problem with such long campaign timelines is the entire nation slowly loses its sense of humor.

 

[catmandu]

1) Don't say Obama. Or Voldemort.
2) Go to charm school to change natural speech tone from dismissive to bubbly.
3) Earn an ATP.

Got it.

 

[flyingron]

I remember that the Pope was in Baltimore a few years back. We had this exchange:

BWI: Navion 27K, Fly heading 040 for a bit. There's a TFR ahead of you.
27K: 040, Vectors for the Pope.

 

[overdrive148]

 

[Cykoguy]

The leadership team will probably take more issue with the Trump sticker on his bag much like a normal company taking issue with the same thing in your cubicle or office.

 

[roncachamp]

Pilot had a Trump sticker on his bag so that means he can't mention Obama's name without a political firestorm. He announced that they were delayed because of a TFR for President Obama. A NBC "journalist" on the plane rapidly tweeted out that a pilot with a Trump sticker was blaming Obama for the delay.

You can read the timeline from there. Wailing and gnashing of teeth.

And now AA responded saying they are referring the matter to their leadership team. Do I think the pilot will actually get in trouble? Depends on how hot the fire gets. But AA has to put on a good front for all the foaming at the mouth tweeters I guess.

The pilot's explanation was factually correct. If politics is kept out of the matter he'll see no trouble.

 

[mscard88]

The leadership team will probably take more issue with the Trump sticker on his bag much like a normal company taking issue with the same thing in your cubicle or office.

Yup. Memo coming out soon about political stickers.

 

[jordane93]

The pilot's explanation was factually correct. If politics is kept out of the matter he'll see no trouble.

This. Plus the guy that posted this is from NBC so I can understand why he got his panties in a wad.

 

[Everskyward]

Yup. Memo coming out soon about political stickers.

No doubt any of us where I work would be in trouble if we displayed a political sticker where the pax could see it.

 

[GRG55]

I wonder which way he turns for runup?

 

[Matthew]

I wonder which way he turns for runup?

To the right?

 

[unsafervguy]

Well since I was given a 1hr hold going int Mia Thursday because of the VIP tfr I guess it was true. To bad he could not use the air force base 10 miles away. Stopping traffic in the middle if the day at Mia is so much better.

Bob

 

[James331]

The pilot's explanation was factually correct. If politics is kept out of the matter he'll see no trouble.

That

Well since I was given a 1hr hold going int Mia Thursday because of the VIP tfr I guess it was true. To bad he could not use the air force base 10 miles away. Stopping traffic in the middle if the day at Mia is so much better.

Bob

Berry does as he wants, it's not the place of peasants to criticize him, after all we live to serve our overloards.

If anything we should thank him for allowing us peasants to fly in HIS skies.

 

[mscard88]

Not just Obama James, even ones running cause delays when they're in town campaigning. Years ago I had to board early and get airborne as Bob Dole was campaigning in Panama City and on his way back to the airport.We made it but another one of our flights inbound had to hold until Dole was outa there.

 

[kayoh190]

Yup. Memo coming out soon about political stickers.

Yep. I just went through my manual to see if we already had any verbiage about it, but I didn't see anything. I'm sure there'll be a change coming soon.

That said, I've always thought stickers were sort of goofy. Fortunately we no longer carry chart cases for the dorks to advertise all the airplanes they've flown.

 

[mscard88]

Yep. I just went through my manual to see if w

• New Posts

e already had any verbiage about it, but I didn't see anything. I'm sure there'll be a change coming soon.

That said, I've always thought stickers were sort of goofy. Fortunately we no longer carry chart cases for the dorks to advertise all the airplanes they've flown.

the worse are those FAs with the xmas lights on their overnight bags walking thru the terminals

 

[SkyDog58]

I didn't read what all of the twits wrote but it seems like most of them want the pilot's head on a platter simply for speaking the truth. Yeah, he might have taken pleasure in reporting it but still if it is the truth, it is the truth. No different than placing the blame on the weather, maintenance or ATC if that be the case.

 

[kayoh190]

the worse are those FAs with the xmas lights on their overnight bags walking thru the terminals

Oh geez...don't even get me started with the FAs.

 

[Craig]

[QUOTE="]To the right?[/QUOTE]

Only at the bottom of the hour...

 

[Everskyward]

Yep. I just went through my manual to see if we already had any verbiage about it, but I didn't see anything. I'm sure there'll be a change coming soon.

That said, I've always thought stickers were sort of goofy. Fortunately we no longer carry chart cases for the dorks to advertise all the airplanes they've flown.

I am surprised that they have been allowed this long. I wondered how certain fractional pilots got away with wearing "union strong" or some such verbiage on their lanyards. We are not even supposed to wear anything with someone else's logo on it, although we get away with aircraft manufacturer's logos.

 

[denverpilot]

The leadership team will probably take more issue with the Trump sticker on his bag much like a normal company taking issue with the same thing in your cubicle or office.

You mean abnormal company.

Nothing about that is normal or expected human behavior after a couple of years of mindless, endless, statist, two-party pushing brainwashing of a populace on every "media" outlet.

Only a retard in leadership wouldn't know this. Or think people wouldn't react to it adversely, considering how destructive and planned it all is.

It's how they get people to wear company polo shirts and rah-rah at company rallies, after all. At least the business types back it up with a paycheck for those of us who are wholly unimpressed by their psychological games.

"We are all just one big happy family!"*

*And I'll happily lay your butt off if it means my real family wouldn't get their Christmas Mercedes-Benz.

Most CEOs know the people most willing to slap political stickers on their flight bags will also happily slap company stickers on them and make the stock price go up. They aren't stupid.

They leave the rules about such things to the HR folks who push the PC to the limit, because they need something to feel important about and it keeps the staff jumpy and looking for safe things to support in life.

Supporting the company is always approved.

Probably best not to sport any stickers on bags if you're smart enough to recognize it's all propaganda and marketing. HR needs some examples to keep everyone else in line.

 

[cowman]

About a month ago when a friend of mine flew up Chicago for a few days. I wanted to meet up with him but only had time if I flew. An Obama TFR was up so I couldn't go....

I got to un-ironically say "Thanks, Obama." before his presidency was up. Been waiting for that to happen...

 

[Everskyward]

You mean abnormal company.

Nothing about that is normal or expected human behavior after a couple of years of mindless, endless, statist, two-party pushing brainwashing of a populace on every "media" outlet.

Only a retard in leadership wouldn't know this. Or think people wouldn't react to it adversely, considering how destructive and planned it all is.

It's how they get people to wear company polo shirts and rah-rah at company rallies, after all. At least the business types back it up with a paycheck for those of us who are wholly unimpressed by their psychological games.

"We are all just one big happy family!"*

*And I'll happily lay your butt off if it means my real family wouldn't get their Christmas Mercedes-Benz.

Most CEOs know the people most willing to slap political stickers on their flight bags will also happily slap company stickers on them and make the stock price go up. They aren't stupid.

They leave the rules about such things to the HR folks who push the PC to the limit, because they need something to feel important about and it keeps the staff jumpy and looking for safe things to support in life.

Supporting the company is always approved.

Probably best not to sport any stickers on bags if you're smart enough to recognize it's all propaganda and marketing. HR needs some examples to keep everyone else in line.

I think it's more like (in our case) we fly people with varying political and other opinions, so we don't want to **** them off.

I would think that airlines would have figured that out already.

 

[PeterNSteinmetz]

How about eliminating TFRs for politicians generally. What actually are the odds that some sort of attack will happen from the air if these TFRS were eliminated vs. keeping them in place? I suspect very low so the TFRs are much ado about a very low probability event.

 

[denverpilot]

I think it's more like (in our case) we fly people with varying political and other opinions, so we don't want to **** them off.

I would think that airlines would have figured that out already.

I haven't met anyone working for one who says they haven't, and/or who'd put political stickers on a flight bag. Maybe some union somewhere bitched about "free speech" or something but I find the whole story a bit fishy.

If true, the doofus was probably already violating policy of some sort, and wasn't the brightest bulb in the batch leaving a bag like that where a reporter who's supposedly listening to their announcement over the PA in the back, saw it?

Of course, not much of a reporter making that mental note and pushing it as a "story" either, but the modern "journalist" knows what pays the bills, and it ain't quality reporting. It's fake drama and innuendo. Desperate times for a dying overcrowded industry.

How about eliminating TFRs for politicians generally. What actually are the odds that some sort of attack will happen from the air if these TFRS were eliminated vs. keeping them in place? I suspect very low so the TFRs are much ado about a very low probability event.

You forgot the important part. Few of us would care if someone did attack the politicians. Plenty more where the current ones came from.

Massive debt-driven bureaucracies run just fine the next day while we swear in the next narcissist who wants the job. Even keeps the successors occupied attending state funerals and what not, so they don't have time to cause more trouble. And the masses glued to their TV sets fretting over their own security, since they don't realize they're not the ones anyone is angry at.

But at least if they're the sort that have little motivation to accomplish stuff in life, and they don't have things to go get done the day after, they'll have something to gawk at and talk about.

Might feel bad for their entourage, though, if the attack wasn't clean. Not sure. Someone taking out the weird groupies that follow such power tripping weirdos around, might be a net gain on the Darwin scale overall. I'd have to see a list. Probably feel a little bad for the folks who pledged to protect them, too... but they tend to know the score when they're playing bodyguard for people who bomb whole countries as a day job.

 

[Acrodustertoo]

OH NO! They are bitching on Twitter ! Someone has a trump sticker! They better string him up for not conforming to the communist party! Get the rope!

 

[weilke]

The leadership team will probably take more issue with the Trump sticker on his bag much like a normal company taking issue with the same thing in your cubicle or office.

If they have a policy against this.

I remember a couple of years ago some airline was in a fight with the pilots about union stickers and ID lanyards.

 

[dmspilot]

Reading the twitter comments made me dumber.

 

[Busflyer]

It's my flight case. They really can't say anything about what I put on it. (Within limits, I'm sure anything obscene would cause some trouble.)

When I flew Jetstreams way long ago, we had a crewmember who taped a copy of his W2 to the end of his case. If you're not familiar with the Jetstreams, the front row passengers were right behind us. Company didn't like it but they couldn't make him remove it.

 

[GRG55]

Not just Obama James, even ones running cause delays when they're in town campaigning. Years ago I had to board early and get airborne as Bob Dole was campaigning in Panama City and on his way back to the airport.We made it but another one of our flights inbound had to hold until Dole was outa there.

I got delayed at Boston Logan in the pre-9/11 '90s, back when Bill was Prez. Our corporate Lear was on the FBO ramp for the day. When we got back that evening to head out we were not allowed to go to the plane. Mrs. Clinton was in town to give a speech and one of the President's Boeings (a 707) was parked out by itself completely lit up with portable floodlights, surrounded by security. We got to leave only after she returned and was safely out of range, presumably on the way back to DC.

 

[TRocket]

I'm just glad our tax dollars are paying to fly Barry around on AF1 to campaign for the only presidential candidate that has the potential to be worse than him....

 

[Everskyward]

It's my flight case. They really can't say anything about what I put on it. (Within limits, I'm sure anything obscene would cause some trouble.)

Unless you have a union or some other force behind you, companies can tell you what to wear, what to say, and what you can display on the job. In fact, some companies will put limitations on what you can or can't do off the job.

 

[Everskyward]

For every anecdotal story someone can tell about being delayed or inconvenienced by a politician of one party, someone else can tell a similar story about a politician of the other party...

 

[Larry in TN]

When I flew Jetstreams way long ago, we had a crewmember who taped a copy of his W2 to the end of his case. If you're not familiar with the Jetstreams, the front row passengers were right behind us. Company didn't like it but they couldn't make him remove it.

8N BNA! I remember it well!

 

[Busflyer]

8N BNA! I remember it well!

Yep. Can't remember who it was though.

 

[Busflyer]

Unless you have a union or some other force behind you, companies can tell you what to wear, what to say, and what you can display on the job. In fact, some companies will put limitations on what you can or can't do off the job.

That's true. Everywhere I've flown has had a union.

 

[kayoh190]

I have a union, but that doesn't mean I can go against my manual. We have pretty specific requirements about what's allowed with regard to the uniform. I won't be able to hide behind my union if I decide to wear earrings, for example. But the whole seniority thing means that unless I'm to be fired, constantly being called to the carpet about my appearance, offensive stickers or lanyards, or any number of other things that make chief pilots crazy isn't going to actually affect my career. Whereas in many corporate/charter gigs, being a huge pain in management's ass can result in some other pilot being sent to FSI when that shiny new Gulfstream rolls in.

That said, I don't see anything in American's manual about stickers (or lanyards). There's verbiage about uniforms always being worn in a manner that presents a professional appearance, but that's about it.

 

[denverpilot]

Unless you have a union or some other force behind you, companies can tell you what to wear, what to say, and what you can display on the job. In fact, some companies will put limitations on what you can or can't do off the job.

Not completely true. There are a number of employee protections where employers can't say boo if the employee meets the job requirements. Religious practices come to mind, but there's others.

No one is (yet, fully) required to remove all individualism, but many would love that. So much simpler when everyone is a robot. It's been the dream pushed since the industrial revolution. Human Resources, not Personnel.

For every anecdotal story someone can tell about being delayed or inconvenienced by a politician of one party, someone else can tell a similar story about a politician of the other party...

Doesn't make any of it right.

 

[Greg Bockelman]

When I flew Jetstreams way long ago, we had a crewmember who taped a copy of his W2 to the end of his case. If you're not familiar with the Jetstreams, the front row passengers were right behind us. Company didn't like it but they couldn't make him remove it.

LMAO. That is CLASSIC. Bravo to that guy.

BTW BTDT. Not the W-2 thing but the Jetstream gig.