Southwest Pilot James Fritzen Taylor Apologizes For Gay-Bashing Rant

The Southwest Airlines pilot whose profane and offensive anti-gay rant was broadcast over cockpit radio, then shared around the world, has issued written apologies to his fellow employees.

James Fritzen Taylor identified himself as the speaker on the tape, and sent a letter to the employees of the airlines accepting responsibility for the "derogatory" and "truly insensitive" comments.

He asks forgiveness especially from Houston-based flight crews -- on the tape, he described Houston as "easily one of the ugliest bases."

No special apology, however, to the Chicago-based crew, which he infamously described as a "continuous stream of gays and grannies and grandes" and "eleven f***ing over-the-top, f***ing a**-f***ing homosexuals."

According to the Dallas Voice, Taylor is married, and lives with his wife in the Dallas suburb of Argyle, Texas. No one answered the door at his home, Houston's NBC affiliate KPRC reported, and so far there's been no word from his wife about the rant, which focuses on the lack of suitable women to "bang."

Read the letter Taylor sent to his co-workers:

To All Southwest Airlines Flight Attendants and all Employees:

Because of the impact of my comments, I wanted to communicate with you directly. Please accept my most sincere apology for the inappropriate and disrespectful remarks I made in March with an open microphone. I deeply regret the derogatory remarks I made and the hurt I have caused — I take full responsibility for those comments. It was truly insensitive of me and I would like all of you to know that from now on, I will show nothing but the utmost respect during my interactions with all employees. In addition, I would like to extend a special apology to all Flight Attendants, and especially those of Houston. I hope you will allow me to maintain a working relationship with all of you that will provide me the opportunity to extend an individual, personal apology to each one of you whenever we fly together. Please know that this event has forever changed me and I hope that others can learn from my mistake. I have learned a much-needed lesson to be more sensitive of others and I hope you will see me as a more tolerant and considerate person. I am proud to be employed by Southwest Airlines and I am committed to representing our Company, and its employees in the most professional way possible.

Comments

[James Norman]

08:07 PM on 07/01/2011

I'd like to retract my last comment if the moderators could delete it.

[James Norman]

07:58 PM on 07/01/2011

I haven't talked to James Taylor in a while but I know him well and didn't know this was him when I first heard the "rant." I find the rant disgusting. It's not the James I know. Just wanted to say I don't know what's happened to him, and rather than wishing for the worst for him, like many of the commenters here seem to do, I hope he finds himself again and can become the good guy I know he is inside.

[Tara Havens]

09:21 PM on 07/01/2011

There are two James Taylor pilots I have met since working with Southwest airlines. The one not guilty of making this rant just lost his daughter a year and a half ago. He is already taking heat for sharing the same name as the guilty "James Taylor." Possibly this is the the James you had met?

[James Norman]

12:17 PM on 07/02/2011

No I definitely have the right JT. Thanks, though.

[chachachamp]

07:51 PM on 07/01/2011

In a final analysis of this incident, it is probably not an isolated event in that it happens in other airlines and other industries. The airline pilot group is highly trained and move aircraft through the sky safely every day. It is however an error in judgment to voice opinions about coworkers while in the performance of one's duty, especially in the aviation environment. A pilot should be concerned with the safety of flight and should direct his/her full attention to the job he/she is paid to do. The company that signs the paycheck expects it, and the paying passenger demands a pilot to be concentrating 100% on the job. Unfortunately, the pairing of men and women together in the workplace will always cause issues--it should therefore be STRICT company policy that NO FRATERNIZATION occur. Mixing business with pleasure has led to many a downfall in various business / company environments. In the lawsuit frenzy world in which we live, any transgressions that cross company policy are subject to legal ramifications. Best bet is to remain nuetral, be professional, be friendly/courteous to others, do your job and do it well.

[riceroni]

01:29 PM on 07/01/2011

Looks like this creep will lose his job and his wife. He'll be a living blues song, exactly what he deserves.

[chachachamp]

05:00 PM on 07/01/2011

His job, his wife, his house, his career (although not necessarily in that order).

[Yikesits]

11:39 AM on 07/01/2011

I have had one flight on SWA, I booked my return home on someone else. You get what you pay for.

[sjcarl]

06:41 PM on 07/01/2011

I dunno, I kind of like a plane with no first class section, since I never get to fly first class anyway. And the flight attendants are more entertaining.

[Yikesits]

07:06 PM on 07/01/2011

I don't know...the old crusty FAs in first can be quite amusing, and they have INCREDIBLE stories.

[tonewheel]

10:12 AM on 07/01/2011

As I posted here yesterday, I contacted Southwest by email. I let them know that I employ sales people that travel regularly out of Midway airport, with Southwest being their preferred airline. I informed them that I would not permit any of my employees to fly Southwest until this pilot was terminated from their employ. I received their response this morning:

"Dear Mr. ------------,

Thank you for your e-mail regarding the conversation between a Southwest Captain and First Officer in late March. We assure you that we are committed and dedicated to maintaining the highest standard of ethics in the industry, and the actions of this Pilot are, without question, inconsistent with the professional behavior and overall respect that we require from our Employees.

The Pilot in question has been reprimanded, receiving a suspension without pay for a length of time. Prior to being reinstated, he underwent additional diversity and inclusion education to reinforce the Company's expectations for all Employees to demonstrate respect for others. The Pilot is remorseful and has formally apologized for his poor behavior.

Again, we thank you for taking the time to contact us with your feelings over this incident. We truly value your patronage, and we hope to welcome you onboard a Southwest flight soon.

Sincerely,

Stewart, Southwest Airlines"

[chachachamp]

04:58 PM on 07/01/2011

I received the same letter--twice--it appears that the company, under pressure from some special interest group-- is "poo--pooing" this matter as a trivial, inconsequential event and it's back to business as usual. I join you in your support to boycott the airline until the matter is appropriately resolved.

[Eikinkloster]

01:22 AM on 07/04/2011

Maybe you are not the only guy with money pressing the company. Maybe there are more people with more money saying that if they fire this guy, *they* wills top using the company.

Leftists amaze me. You are all "for the people" and stuff, but then you'll come with this "I control my employees and so be afraid of my wrath", and the other guy smirking at the pilot's low paying job... This is where you reveal you are just a bunch of rich white elitists.

[onwisconsin]

01:27 AM on 07/04/2011

Funny, I'm not a guy or white.

[tonewheel]

05:11 PM on 07/04/2011

Interestingly enough, my Account Director and his staff came into my office to inform me of this when it was revealed in the press. They suggested we, as a company, boycott Southwest until they do the right thing, which apparently they're not going to do.

So, my employees initiated this action and I carried it through, as a group.

You're entitled to your opinions, but not your own facts. And no doubt, you and your pals got a good chuckle out of the tape and can't understand what all the hub-bubb is about.

[joelb5000]

08:52 AM on 07/01/2011

"I am proud to be employed by Southwest Airlines..."

This clown may be speaking too fast...again. After comments like that, why would Southwest continue to employ him? They've fired people for far less egregious offenses than this.

[chachachamp]

07:41 AM on 07/01/2011

Q. How do you there's an airline captain at a party ? He'll tell you.

On or around January 4, 2011 the US Navy fired Captain Owen Honors of the nuclear powered aircraft carrier--the USS Enterprise in response to some "crew entertainment" videos he made on board ship (while in a lesser capacity and in previous years).

These videos included the "use of profanity, anti gay slurs, and sexually suggestive scenes" (from Wikipedia reference on USS Enterprise--aircraft carrier).

[Sandra MacKay]

07:22 AM on 07/01/2011

You're lying nimrod.

[onwisconsin]

06:35 AM on 07/01/2011

Dear pilot,
You're only sorry because you got caught and someone told you that you had to write the letter if you wanted any chance at all to keep your low-paying job.

[Eikinkloster]

01:25 AM on 07/04/2011

"Dear pilot,
You're only sorry because you got caught "

Holier than thou aren't we today? I like it though. You guys will end up pushing it beyond the apathy of the silent majority. Then we will see.

[onwisconsin]

01:28 AM on 07/04/2011

So you would go to bat for the racist?

That says a lot about you.

[James Walton]

03:08 AM on 07/01/2011

I'm afraid the only lesson he learned was to take his finger off the button when going into a rant. Sounds like he's sorely disappointed in not having a "bang suitable" crew flying with him.

[Conway193]

11:19 PM on 06/30/2011

What a repulsive, sniveling coward, this clown is only doing this to save his job. If he were a real man he's stand by what he said, regardless of the consequences.

[chachachamp]

07:48 AM on 07/01/2011

I was wondering in what context do you mean--"stand by what he said" ? Are you in favor of his comments ? or do you mean he should have accepted full responsibility for his stupid dialogue and demonstrated true leadership skills by admitting his mistake right away ?

[Conway193]

04:46 AM on 07/02/2011

Oh well, I tried to answer you.

Apparently, my response does not merit collective approval.

You have my regards.

[dannywanny]

10:56 PM on 06/30/2011

He's only sorry he was caught on his rant. Texas is overflowing with Christian fundamentalists who say the same thing all the time, including several of my relatives, from whom I will no longer accept email. He should resign.

[Koeiseun]

04:00 AM on 07/01/2011

Absolutely....what a chump!

[onwisconsin]

06:36 AM on 07/01/2011

We say the same thing about most of our Oklahoma relatives.

And I agree with the rest of your post as well.

[Atwill]

10:00 PM on 06/30/2011

When someone is this foul, i would not believe any apology. He is disgusting. what if one of those gay people he works with just said "F you I am gay" ? how fast do you think he'd demand they were fired? real fast. fire this jerk. NOW.

[chachachamp]

06:59 PM on 06/30/2011

According to the US Federal Aviation Regulations Part 61.153--subparagraph (c) An applicant for an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate must "be of good moral character". Well, Captain Taylor blows that idea out of the water. How about considering some other factors:

Endangering the lives of his passengers while flying a Boeing 737 jet in US controlled airspace by failing to monitor the flight instruments and maintain a listening watch on the the radio.

Endangering the lives of other passengers on other airplanes flying in that same airspace while his radio rant tied up a VITAL FAA air traffic control frequency used to guide airplanes safely through the sky travelling at high mach numbers and high closure rates, especially in an environment with reduced vertical separation between aircraft. Potential for a midair collision--HIGH.

Hurtful, spiteful, and hateful comments directed at coworkers while in the command of a US jetliner and while performing his duties as an airman engaged in air commerce.

Immoral behavior exhibited by Captain Taylor, a married man, who bragged about trips to a bar several times during his off hours with coworkers and expressing an interest in "doing" a flight attendant--an open expression for a desire to have explicit relations.

A less than satisfactory response from the airline for this behavior.