In June 2015, a United Airlines FFDO threw live ammunition in the trash before eventually deciding to flush it down the lavatory toilet on an international flight from Houston to Munich.
In February 2017, a Southwest Airlines FFDO disembarked a plane in Phoenix, Arizona, leaving a loaded firearm unattended in the cockpit, after the FFDO was accused by a flight attendant of watching footage from a camera hidden in the airplane's lavatory.
In August 2022, a Delta Air Lines FFDO allegedly used his firearm to assault and intimidate a fellow crew member in response to a possible diversion of the aircraft due to a medical situation.
I have another thread going on this but they are also exempt from security screening. Like they just bypass the whole thing. Regular crew can too but they get “randomed” at about a 70% rate. I considered doing this for the perks but it would’ve made me a cop so I didn’t.
But hey it’s always fun to know that I’ll occasionally sit next to a guy that could just blow my brains out
but it would’ve made me a cop so I didn’t.
To be fair air cops only make like 4 arrests a year lol. Statistically, you probably won’t arrest anyone and if you do, it won’t be for loitering or being homeless. I think they get like $200 million in funding lol
Imagine going through all the bullshit required to become a pilot, and then adding on top of that all the bullshit that is no doubt required to get permission to carry a gun onto the plane you're flying, and then throwing that all away because you don't wanna just go land the plane where it has to land due to an emergency. What the fuck is going on in American brains? My man you're getting paid to fly the damn plane where it's gotta go why are you gonna throw your whole life away over it not going exactly where you thought it was gonna go
The FAA basically ends your career if you seek any form of mental health treatment, so a lot of pilots just self-medicate with alcohol. Delta guy was on the final leg home. So they just snapped, probably.
Wait, so he pulled a gun to keep the plane on course during a medical emergency!?
If I had to guess he either didn’t think it was serious and/or is upset because someone else would take his future route while he’s dealing with the delay.
While a diversion is a PITA for the passengers it usually doesn’t affect the pilot’s schedule significantly. The impact is usually limited to the day of, and the trips are pay-protected. I think the guy just wanted to get home
I'm almost amazed that FFDO isn't already part of pop culture because a decade ago somebody (Will Ferrell?) played a fictionalized version of a such a cowboy dipshit in a big budget Hollywood comedy. All you need is the right title. Flight Cop?
Liam Neeson was an air marshal in Flight lol. Although that was supposed to be a ‘serious’ movie about undercover agents rather than pilots
Air marshals were involved in the plot of Stallone's Cliffhanger. I think it's a very enjoyable, very stupid action movie.
