New United Airline pilot union chief resigns after uproar over derogatory posts
United Airlines Capt. Neil Swindells stepped down after just 2 days on the job
The newly elected chairman of United Airlines' pilot union has stepped down from his post after just two days at the helm amid controversy over derogatory posts he made on a message board for pilots.
Capt. Neil Swindells was elected leader of the United chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association on Monday, and tendered his resignation Wednesday under pressure following "overwhelming" negative feedback from members after his posts became public, Forbes reported.
Former United Airlines pilot union chairman Captain Neil Swindells (United ALPA chapter )
Dozens of messages Swindells posted to Pilotsforum.org were obtained by CBS News this week. The outlet shared a number of them from September 2021, including him appearing to tell someone, "Continuing to get your gay man on today I see."
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In another, Swindells commented on the announcement of an alliance between United and Emirates Airlines, writing, "I’m sure Emirates had nothing to do with the Emirates male captain being flanked by a United female first officer either, right? – Every single optic was designed with a nod to Emirates’ dominance of the codeshare, while giving United their desired DEI [Diversity, Equity and Inclusion] money shot."
A United Airlines plane lands at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, United States on September 15, 2022. ((Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAL | UNITED AIRLINES HOLDINGS INC. | 52.63 | -0.39 | -0.74% |
Swindells confirmed that he made the comments and issued an apology in an email to United's more than 14,000 pilots after CBS' report, and initially said he would not be stepping down.
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Before Swindells ultimately resigned Wednesday, Capt. Joe DePete, president of ALPA, tweeted a public statement saying the labor union "will always stand & fight for an inclusive aviation community because intolerance has no place in our union or profession."
"Under our democratic structure, @UnitedPilots elect their leaders and it’s up to them to decide who they want at the helm," DePete added.
"There has been a significant negative response to things I posted on a pilot forum," Swindell wrote in his resignation letter. "While many of these things have been taken completely out of context and publicly weaponized against me, I cannot ignore their existence and the damaging effect it has had on many of my fellow pilots. For that, I am truly sorry and apologize unreservedly."
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He added, "It is time for me to go back to the line and do what I have loved doing for over 27 years, which is flying with the best, most professional pilots in the aviation industry."
United Airlines declined to comment on the situation or whether Swindells is still affiliated with the airline when contacted by FOX Business.