2 weeks Ago By Gaurav Joshi
Opinions and discussions on subjects like politics and religion can be tricky even among acquaintances, but wearing your preference on a hat as an airline pilot is likely to ruffle feathers. Something similar happened on a Frontier Airlines flight, in which the captain was seen wearing a red Trump hat, prompting a passenger to call him out on social media. Frontier pilot seen in a Trump hat A passenger on a recent Frontier Airlines flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) shared his experience on social media about witnessing the captain of the flight wearing a red Trump hat.
Brian Wahlstrom posted on Threads and said that while he didn’t care about one’s politics, “wearing political merch while captaining a commercial airliner is unprofessional.” Wahlstrom even reached out to the Regional Chief Pilot at Frontier Airlines and shared what he saw. He added that he received a response from the Regional Chief Pilot at Frontier and that they confirmed the issue is being taken seriously and addressed internally.
He added that this was never about canceling anyone or calling for a boycott, but about maintaining trust, neutrality, and professionalism in public-facing roles. Simple Flying also contacted Wahlstrom and received the following response: “As an aviation professional, I know an airline’s reputation is one of its most valuable assets. When someone in uniform displays political ideology, on either side, it risks eroding the public trust that professionalism relies on.
What I witnessed was unprofessional and unacceptable. That said, Frontier’s leadership responded quickly and appropriately. I’ll continue to fly with them, and I hope this serves as a reminder of the standards passengers deserve.
” A Frontier Airlines spokesperson told Newsweek , "Wearing any type of hat other than one that is part of the approved pilot uniform is a violation of company policy and subject to disciplinary measures." Simple Flying has also contacted Frontier Airlines for a comment. Reaction on social media Naturally, Wahlstrom’s post on Threads has attracted all kinds of responses.
Many supported his decision to call out the pilot. One user stated, “wearing a MAGA hat isn’t even political at this point. It’s a dog whistle.
So yeah, I’d be uncomfortable too.” Another one stated, “So, funny. Husband literally just asked me tonight if I would ever fly frontier.
...
Now this just soldifies my answer...
. Nope!” Another user posted in support, saying, “I and a bunch of other classmates are interns with a well known aerospace company. We may be in cubes but none of us would ever do this.
..ever.
” Some users said that they didn’t care about the pilot’s politics or his decision to wear a Trump hat as long as he did a good job piloting the plane. One of them added, “It's called freedom of speech. I don't care what he thinks, feels, or believe.
All I care about is if he is the best damn pilot and can fly the plane. Last time I checked , my number one concern when flying, is landing home safely. Everything can wait.
” One user replied to Wahlstrom’s post and said, “I bet if it was a Kamala hat you’d be ok with it.” Wearing politics on one’s sleeve In an increasingly polarized world, wearing one’s political opinions in a professional setting, no matter which side of the aisle one is on, can be tricky. In recent times, airline workers have received backlash for displaying their opinions on politics or geopolitical events.
Get all the latest aviation news right here on Simple Flying. In 2024, two Delta Air Lines flight attendants were photographed wearing Palestine flag pins. The photos soon made it to X where a user equated the flag to being a Hamas badge, saying, “Now imagine getting into a @Delta flight and seeing workers with Hamas badges in the air.
What do you do?” This eventually led to Delta changing its policies regarding uniform pins that its flight attendants can wear. Earlier, they were allowed to wear pins representing other countries and nationalities. But after the Palestine flag pins controversy, Delta cabin crew members are allowed to wear pins representing the United States of America to “ensure a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment for all.
” JetBlue’s move to change its inflight maps comes in response to the US guidelines for the Middle East..
