A United Airlines pilot was forced to intervene over the intercom during a flight from San Fransisco to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to explain to the passengers aboard the importance of remaining calm after a political dispute had erupted about last weeks' election results, the Washington Post reported Monday.
Jon Bauer, who posted the video of the incident to YouTube, said a fiery argument broke out when someone in a "'plaid shirt and camo cap' said something racist (about being 'glad to have kept his guns') to an African American lady," causing the woman to cry.
The pilot reminded the passengers that there was no way out of their airplane, so it probably is not the place to bring up controversial topics.
"We're going to be in a metal tube, at 35,000 feet," the pilot said.
He said it was fine that every person has their own opinion of President-elect Donald Trump, but wanted to stress that the people aboard are supposed to be having fun going to Mexico.
"I understand everybody has their opinions, that's fine. If you support him, great. If you don't, I understand," the pilot said. "However, we're out here to go to Puerta Vallarta to have a good time."
He explained the importance of common decency, noting that everyone on the airplane is a human being with their own feelings.
The pilot told the passengers to keep their opinions to themselves, banning further conversation about politics on the flight.
"Let cooler heads prevail and we can talk and realize that we're all human beings, and we all can stick together and we can all feel for this country in our own way and that's what we should do," he said. "If there's anybody that has a problem with this, there's another flight tomorrow. You're not going to be on this one."
United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy confirmed to the Post that one of the airline's pilots did intervene in a situation but did not elaborate on any specifics of what caused it.
"Our pilot was attempting to diffuse an argument between two customers and get everyone safely to their destination," she said.