Southwest Pilot Suspended for Open Mic Rant

USA Today: Southwest Airlines suspended a Houston-based pilot whose cockpit mic got stuck open, causing his four-minute rant about gay, overweight and older flight attendants to be broadcast openly on an air-traffic frequency, KPRC-TV reports.

The unidentified pilot thought he was talking only to his co-pilot, but instead he was tying up the frequency for air-traffic controllers and other pilots on the Houston-area frequency.

The Houston TV station obtained a copy of the rant in March in which he complains that most of the flight attendants on one run were "a continuous stream of gays and grannies and grandes."

KPRC says air-traffic controllers in Houston first alerted FAA supervisors who forwarded a tape to Southwest Airlines, KPRC says.

Brandy King, a spokesperson for the airlines, told KPRC by e-mail that the pilot was suspended without pay for an undetermined period.

King said (the pilot) apologized for his actions and underwent additional diversity training "to reinforce the company's expectations for all employees to demonstrate respect for others."

Click here to listen to the audio.