United Airlines Pilot ‘Hit His Breaking Point’, Takes Axe to Employee Parking Lot Gate

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In one of the most head-scratching videos you will ever see from an airport employee parking lot, a United Airlines pilot took an axe to the arm of a parking gate at Denver International Airport. RELATED: United Airlines Pilot Flies With Flight Attendant Mom For First Time

According to CBS Colorado, police said Kenneth Henderson Jones told them, “he just hit his breaking point.” He caused an estimated $700 in damage.

The incident took place on August 2 and shows Jones chopping at the parking arm at the exit gate of an employee parking lot 23 times until he knocked it off its base. He then scuffles for a few minutes with an airport employee before surrendering the axe after a second employee intervenes.

Jones is 63 years old and charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief. In case you think you recognize him from one of your flights, Jones is rated to fly the 767 and 757 aircrafts and is obviously based out of Denver.

My buddy, a fellow aviation geek and airline employee based in Denver, tweeted, “Oh I get it! I use the employee lot 5 days a week.” I asked him a couple of follow-up questions to see how long the exit usually takes. Paul replied, “Well they recently switched from having us scan our security badges to get into the lot, to a system that scans a bar code on the windshield. I heard there were some issues with the transition. I was parking at cargo when they switched, so I didn’t experience it myself.”

Oh I get it! I use the employee lot 5 days a week. https://t.co/9i64M6avFs

— Paul Thompson (@FlyingPhotog) August 18, 2023

CBS Denver got a hold of the police report, which stated that Jones “was trying to leave but he estimated there were six cars in line at each of the three exit gates. Airport administrators said there have been issues with the lot as people don’t have proper permits. Deputies say Jones told them he “was trying to get rid of issues for everyone waiting.”

I would say he did a good job and as someone who doesn’t like waiting in lines, especially in an airport parking garage after a long trip, I could only dream of doing what Jones had the guts to do. However, the incident does raise some questions: Why the heck did he have an axe in the trunk of his car? Was this premeditated? Assuming he’s not typically violent or deranged, I hope United doesn’t fire him because he’s the kind of captain I want getting me from Point A to Point B (although maybe an updated background check on him is in order).

After reading some of the comments on CBS Colorado’s YouTube page, I see I’m not the only one taking the side of the pilot.

@JeremiahDB: I’m going to take the side of the pilot with the axe on this one, DIA is poorly managed down to the lot exit gates.

@DistrustHumanz: I gotta admit… I feel and understand his frustration.

@pixseedustaerialimaging8191: Exactly the type of problem solving skills in a high stress environment that I want at the controls of my next flight. Give that man a raise and a hug.

How about you? What do you think?

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