A United Airlines pilot pleaded to his passengers to keep their political views to themselves following a scuffle between two polarized passengers during a flight.
In a footage uploaded on YouTube on Friday, the pilot was heard speaking to his passengers on the intercom, telling them to “respect each other’s decisions” in a San Franciso, California, flight bound for Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. According to YouTuber Jon Bauer, the airplane fracas sprang when an unidentified passenger wearing a “plaid shirt and camo[flage] cap” blurted out racist remarks, specifically about being glad to carry pistols around the country, to an African-American lady. Offended by his words, the woman lost her cool and charged at the man.
“They separated the two of them, and then the Captain of the flight got on the PA and made this announcement,” he further recounted the incident.
The scuffle escalated so quickly that the pilot lost his cool and reprimanded all the passengers—like how a teacher scolds his students after a quarrel. “We’re gonna be in a metal tube at 35,000 feet,” the pilot implores. “I understand everybody has their opinions, that’s fine. If you support him, great. If you don’t, I understand. However, we’re out here to go to Puerta Vallarta to have a good time.”
“Nobody wants to argue, nobody wants to change their minds by arguing,” he beseeched.
In the end of his announcement, he reminded them to remain serene amid the divisive results of the US presidential elections. “Let cooler heads prevail and we can talk and realize that we’re all human beings, and we all can stick together and we can all feel for this country in our own way and that’s what we should do.” Then, passengers began to cheer and applaud the pilot by chanting “Here, here.”
A United Airlines spokesperson told CBS Local in a statement that the pilot used his intercom to diffuse the situation to ensure the safety of their passengers. Gianna Francesca Catolico