A Frontier Airlines passenger shared something very unusual on social media yesterday – a photo of his captain wearing a red Trump hat. Here’s Brian Wahlstrom’s post: “I don’t care which side of the aisle you’re on, wearing political merch while captaining a commercial airliner is unprofessional. I used to work for an airline, and this is absolutely unacceptable. Saw this on my flight from LAX to DFW yesterday. Passengers deserve a neutral, professional space. @flyfrontier”
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Wahlstrom followed up with posts indicating that he had reached out to Frontier Airlines, receiving a response from them. “For those asking if I reported it, yes. I reached out directly to the Regional Chief Pilot at Frontier Airlines and shared what I saw. As someone who’s worked in aviation, I understand how seriously professionalism is taken, especially in uniform and in front of passengers. I received a response from the Regional Chief Pilot at Frontier. They confirmed the issue is being taken seriously and addressed internally. I appreciate the professional reply and trust the airline is handling it appropriately. This was never about canceling anyone or calling for a boycott. It was about maintaining trust, neutrality, and professionalism in public-facing roles. I hope this serves as a reminder across the industry.”
I agree with Brian that it doesn’t matter which side of the aisle you’re on. I’m not even sure what the fine print said; for all I know, it could have been roasting the current president. But either way, I believe airlines, their pilots and crew should remain politically neutral to make a safe place for everyone. If you want to make political statements, do so outside of the uniform and especially not on an airplane.
While the comments on the post vary wildly (you can read them all here), one former flight attendant questioned why the pilot was able to wear a non-uniform hat at all, regardless of what it said:
yawnfon: Why is he allowed to wear non uniform cap @flyfrontier? This is unacceptable as a former 7 year flight attendant.
What do you think? is it acceptable for a commercial airline pilot to wear political merchandise like a Trump or Biden hat? How would you feel if you saw this? Drop a comment.
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Don’t care what he wears, as long as he is fully qualified to safely fly.