The Southwest Airlines pilot who
accidentally broadcast a four-minute anti-gay rant has apologized,
Houston
NBC affiliate KPRC reported.
The airline earlier suspended Taylor
after he accidentally broadcast over the Houston Center air traffic
control frequency a cockpit conversation in which he is heard
complaining to his co-pilot about the lack of “do-able” flight
attendants.
“Well, but I had Tucson to Indy all
four weeks,” the pilot is heard saying. “And, uh, Chicago crews
11 out of 12. There's 12 flight attendants – individuals – never
the same flight attendant twice, 11 f**king over the top f**king ass
f**king homosexuals and a granny.”
“11! I mean think of the odds of
that. I thought I was in Chicago, which was party land. After that,
it was just a continuous stream of gays and grannys and grandes.
Well, I don't give a f**k. I hate a hundred percent of their asses.”
“So, six months I went to the bar
three times. In six months three times. Once with the granny and
the fag, and I wish I hadn't gone. At the very end with two girls,
one of them that was part doable.”
At one point, a controller cuts in to
say, “We don't need to hear that.” (The audio is embedded in the
right panel of this page.)
The Wall Street Journal reported
that the FAA chided the pilot for his behavior: “The FAA expects a
higher level of professionalism from flight crews.”
According
to the Dallas Voice, Taylor is married. He and his wife
live in the Dallas suburb of Argyle, Texas.
Taylor addressed his written apology to
all Southwest flight attendants and employees.
“Because of the impact of my
comments, I wanted to communicate with you directly. Please accept
my most sincere apology for the inappropriate and disrespectful
remarks I made in March with an open microphone. I deeply regret the
derogatory remarks I made and the hurt I have caused — I take full
responsibility for those comments. It was truly insensitive of me
and I would like all of you to know that from now on, I will show
nothing but the utmost respect during my interactions with all
employees. In addition, I would like to extend a special apology to
all Flight Attendants, and especially those of Houston. I hope you
will allow me to maintain a working relationship with all of you that
will provide me the opportunity to extend an individual, personal
apology to each one of you whenever we fly together. Please know
that this event has forever changed me and I hope that others can
learn from my mistake. I have learned a much-needed lesson to be
more sensitive of others and I hope you will see me as a more
tolerant and considerate person. I am proud to be employed by
Southwest Airlines and I am committed to representing our Company,
and its employees in the most professional way possible.”