Video of a strange incident aboard an American Airlines flight has gone viral. In it, the pilot of a commercial flight shares a biographical rant about struggling with his sexual orientation.
American Airlines has confirmed to Inside Edition that the rant occurred earlier this year on June 15 on a flight from Washington DC to Chicago. Video of the incident began circulating online earlier this month. In it, passengers try to deplane as the pilot details the horrors of being sexually abused, religiously repressed, and the resulting confusion when it came to his own sexual orientation.
“I was raped or molested as a young boy and left to deal with it alone,” the pilot says in the video. “I was left to deal with it alone. I was raised by Christians in the church, and I never felt like I could share that with anyone. I screamed to God every night to take away my sinful thoughts and resultant homosexual tendencies.”
Related: Flight attendant demands more paid time off then sues airline after pilot calls him “hot” on Grindr
“My life spiraling out of control, I became a sexual addict,” he continued. “I turned toward pornography.”
By this point, the pilot began to sense the passengers didn’t exactly feel comfortable with his “testimony.” “I am sorry if you are uncomfortable. I just want you to hear me out,” he added.
“I thought sexual thoughts about both men and women, and started messing around who had similar tendencies,” he went on. “Every aspect of my life was filled with lies. I even thought about ending my life at one point.”
The entire rant lasted about three minutes, with passengers standing dumbfounded, trying to get off the plane. The pilot also detailed a failed marriage to a woman, coming out as gay, and how he became a pilot. In the video, one passenger begins reading the safety manual with his head down on a service tray, apparently trying to block out the event.
American Airlines has since released a statement, saying the pilot “accessed the public address system upon landing and made troubling comments until a crew member could intervene. To our affected passengers, we apologize for your experience and what you heard does not reflect our values.” The airline also clarified that the pilot did not work for American directly, but for subsidiary Envoy Air.
“This was nothing more than a very, very public cry for help,” veteran pilot Steve Cowell told Inside Edition, stating the obvious.
We hope the pilot in question has since found the mental health counseling he needs. Have a watch, and try not to feel sorry for him.
Vince
“I was raised by Christians in the church “. Yeah, no shit. Crazies are attracted to it like flies to shit.
The Pilot is obviously mentally disturbed. He’s the type that will plow a plane into the side of a mountain because Jesus didn’t cure his love of c*ck. . He can’t ever be trusted to fly people again.
Heywood Jablowme
A phrase nobody ever wants to hear from their pilot: “My life was SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL!”
Openminded
So true
Fahd
This is funny until someone gets hurt. Pilots committing suicide and taking a plane full of passengers with them has happened. Does American then say, well, he was employed by a subcontractor? All commercial airlines should be required by law to do regular screening of their pilots to ensure that they are physically and mentally fit to pilot the aircraft. HRM 101.
JromeGervais09
Blame so called “Christians” for these breakdowns. I was raised the way this pilot was raised. It is hell. The worst thing to happen to society was religion. Read history. It tells an ugly story about ALL religions.
letthemeatcake
It’s a cop out for American Airlines to say he didn’t work for them. He was able to access their aircraft equipment, meaning they validate or agree with his stability as a pilot to operate their aircraft. Does this sound like a stable person to you?!? At the very least he should not be allowed anywhere near an aircraft again.
IanHunter
Luckily he didn’t crash the plane and take everyone down with his darkness.
Cam
Sounds like he might have been drunk or on something. Poor guy, but I really feel bad for the passengers, NOT the plane you want to be on.
Doug
This is completely inappropriate, especially if kids are sitting on the plane listening to it. This man is obviously very disturbed.
Jer
He has my sympathy, of course, but he could have exposed himself to a better choice of audience.
Heywood Jablowme
The only appropriate audience for this would be a Sex Addicts 12-Step group? And they’re supposed to be anonymous and NOT bother outsiders with their drama.
HMFan
Feel like you’re going crazy and just want to get away? Well, American Airlines has the flights for YOU! Announcing American Airlines’s NEW “Fly Off The Handle” psychotherapy charter program! Get from Point A to Point B while working through your emotional baggage (which they will charge you $15/piece…)
Hank31
It’s been a while since I read up on this, but as I understand the research, there is no evidence for the notion that sexual abuse can make a boy or a man gay or bi. There is evidence that abuse of a boy can cause confusion about his sexual orientation, but that this resolves within 1-3 years.
mateo
If “Six Feet Under” were still around, this would make a great episode introduction; at the end of the pilot’s rant, he smashes the plane into a mountainside (like that nut-job pilot in Germany a few years ago), killing everyone aboard, and then the episode begins with the funeral home people having to deal with all the ensuing drama over the passengers’ memorial services, etc.
BoomerMyles
Ever seen a grown man naked?
mailliw110
Do you like movies with Roman gladiators?
jcool
and don’t call me shirley
wikidBSTN
I would have tried to squeeze out the window. Flight to hell!
RyanMBecker
The WEIRDEST coincidence is that the cover of the in-flight magazine has “LGBTQ” on it! Check it out. It’s on the back of the seat. You can see it right after that guy bows his head over the passenger manual. Or am I seeing things???