American Airlines passenger angrily complained on social media about the pilot who had a tag saying ‘Let’s go Brandon’ on his personal luggage while wearing a uniform.
The original post is no longer public, since the complainer changed her account settings to privacy mode. According to captured screenshots, she accused the pilot of “displaying … cowardly rhetoric” while wearing a uniform and said that she and other passengers were disgusted to see the sticker before the flight.
The passenger also posted several photos as proof.
Responding to an angry tweet about the image, American Airlines‘ official account thanked the complaining woman for bringing it to the company’s attention and asked her to DM them with more details.
Before making her account private, the woman posted what she said were private messages exchanged with American Airlines. In those, the passenger, who is apparently an “elite status member” said the sticker supported “the insurrection of our government/the sitting president” and expressed concerns for personal safety while being flown by the pilot.
American Airlines assured her that an “appropriate internal review will occur.”
The phrase ‘Let’s go Brandon’ has been popularized as a radical right’s substitute for an expletive targeting the incumbent US president since last September.
Most people perceive it as deeply offensive and indicative of radicalism. An AP correspondent made headlines in late October, when she complained on Twitter that a Southwest Airlines pilot welcomed passengers with a ‘Let’s go Brandon’ before taking off.
Asha Rangappa Twitted:
“As an experiment, I’d love for an @SouthwestAir pilot to say “Long live ISIS” before taking off. My guess is that 1) the plane would be immediately grounded; 2) the pilot fired; and 3) a statement issued by the airline within a matter of hours.”
Many people compared the pilot’s greeting to that of a terrorism supporter.
Southwest Airlines put its pilot under investigation, stating that it didn’t condone “divisive or offensive” behavior from employees, but refused to comment on the individual involved.
