A seemingly seasoned Delta pilot, who referred to himself as a "servant leader," has attracted scrutiny online after a video showing him deliver a long, detailed speech about the "strict rules" by which all passengers must abide went viral.
The unidentified man was subjected to harsh backlash once the video surfaced on Instagram. He can be seen in the video relaying his instructions over the aircraft's intercom with one hand on his hip like a mother before a family trip. He starts with the typical pilot spiel, saying he is "responsible for everyone's safety."
However, the overzealous pilot appeared to more adamant about his passengers following the rules. "Everyone please look up here at your servant leader," he said. "Today I get to serve as the captain of the ship. "What does that mean? It means I’m responsible for the safety of my ship, my crew, my passengers, my cargo, but above all, the rules."
READ MORE: Pilot mocks 'entitled woman' who ran to front of plane to be let off first
Like a drill sergeant, he begins listing commands the passengers must "obey" in order to have a safe flight. "I need everyone to obey the seatbelt sign during the flight for your safety and the safety of everyone around you," he continued. "I need everyone to obey the commands and the instructions of my flight attendants. And lastly, I ask that we all be respectful of one another."
Viral sausage roll debate leaves Brits confused about how to order at GreggsJoin the Mirror's SMS news service to get the biggest breaking stories delivered straight to your phone. Click here to subscribe.
Jay Robert, a travel blogger, posted the video to his Instagram account but the individual who recorded it is unknown. "I wonder if this Delta captain is ex military?' he captioned it, adding, '[Credit] unknown."
Instagram users wasted no time ridiculing the pilot's snarky persona. "Yikes. Unnecessary and narcissistic," one person wrote. Another added, "Total cringe. I bet he’s fun at parties." Other users went deeper, citing the pilot's mistreatment of his crew and passengers. "This captain abused his power. He treated passengers like kindergarteners. Oh and 'my fly attendants' - oh dear, you have some arrogance issues," huffed someone else.
Click here to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sport and entertainment stories.
"Please stop being a total control freak, and just fly the plane. Have a little faith in your flight attendants," read a fourth comment. A fifth simply said, "This irks my soul."
Among the negative comments were those defending the pilot's actions, speculating that he was in the military before he became a commercial air pilot. "I love this Captain. As a former Delta flight attendant, I loved that we had so many pilots that came out of the US Air Force," one person explained.
"They may not have the best bedside manner, but they are qualified." Another person commemorated the man for letting his passengers know how things are done while aboard his aircraft. "Have you seen the way some passengers treat the flight crew these days? I don’t mind a strong warning if it’ll keep the peace and have no shenanigans on board," the supporter said.