Passengers on an American Airlines flight were shocked when a pilot’s voice (albeit one who wasn’t flying the plane), came across the cabin’s intercom to deliver his personal Christian testimony. The passengers were at the gate, waiting to deplane.
A video posted to an American Airlines Reddit discussion page offers clear audio of the deadheading pilot giving a graphic and personal sermon that revealed intimate details of his childhood sexual abuse, marriage, and sexual struggles. The plane was filled with men, women, and children, all waiting to exit.
The Pilot Shared His Testimony
The pilot told passengers that he was “raped and molested as a young boy” which led to him having suicidal thoughts. He said though he was raised by Christians in the church, he never felt like he could share his homosexual tendencies with anyone and even screamed out for God to take away the thoughts of sin.
After turning to pornography to satiate his sexual addiction, the pilot said, “My life kept spiraling out of control.”
The graphic nature of his testimony made passengers uncomfortable, and the pilot said it was okay if passengers needed to [deplane]. “It’s okay,” he said. “I’m sorry if you’re uncomfortable; I just want you to hear me. I’m not trying to tell you what to do.”
The pilot said he excelled at academics and learned to fly during college, but said none of that answered any of his questions regarding his sexual trauma as a child or his continued struggles with homosexuality.
The pilot said he married a woman and that doing so didn’t stop his homosexual desires. He also said he kept his past a secret from his wife.
“Just over one year into our marriage, I began to give in to the pressure of being gay,” the pilot said. “I asked other gay crew members about their lifestyle and what led them to becoming gay.” Detailing what he learned, he added that, “Pretty soon I was taking part in that lifestyle. I had sex with men and would come home from work trips and pretend that nothing happened.”
He told passengers, “I met someone that I thought could help me…Ultimately, I want to share the love of Christ with you,” before he was interrupted nearly three minutes into his monologue. The pilot went on to explain why he was telling everyone such personal details.
The pilot was either cut off or finished his testimony after being interrupted due to the abrupt ending caught on video. He said, “If you feel uncomfortable, that’s fine, but I will talk to you in the gate area. Thank you so much,” before ending the transmission.
It is unclear if any passengers met him at the gate to hear the rest of his story.
At Least One Passenger Wasn’t Happy
There was at least one passenger who voiced his frustration regarding the pilot’s behavior. The passenger can be heard saying, “If I was your ex-wife [or wife] I’d sue [you],” and then used explicit language while angrily adding, “We’ve got lives to live. Nobody [cares] about your life, bro.”
A few passengers clapped after the pilot ended his speech.
Some Call the Incident Fake
Some Reddit users couldn’t believe an American Airlines flight crew would allow a deadheading pilot to make such an announcement over the plane’s intercom, let alone continue, after they heard what was happening.
The person who posted the video reassured commenters it was real, writing: “The original poster took the video and said that they had just pulled up to the gate. He had to give this little spiel before he would allow the passengers to deplane. I wanted to post this here in hopes that American Airlines will see it. I don’t want to accidentally get on this guy’s plane.”
Were the Pilot’s Actions Appropriate?
Do you think the Christian pilot [or whoever it was] should have shared detailed testimony with a plane filled with passengers of all ages? Watch the full video below and tell us what you think.