"It started as a consensual prank between me and the other pilot. I never imagined it would turn into this in a thousand years." Photo / 123rf
"It started as a consensual prank between me and the other pilot. I never imagined it would turn into this in a thousand years." Photo / 123rf
A US Southwest Airlines pilot has been given community service after pleading guilty to exposing his genitals to a female first officer and watching porn on a flight last year.
Michael Haak, 60, expressed remorse for his actions before he was sentenced to one year of unsupervised probation and a $5000 fine.
Haak says it initially started as a prank before it turned horribly wrong.
"It started as a consensual prank between me and the other pilot. I never imagined it would turn into this in a thousand years," Haak said during the hearing.
The 60-year-old had met the first officer before that flight on August 10, 2020.
After reaching altitude, he got out of his seat, "disrobed" and began watching pornographic material on his laptop in the cockpit, prosecutors said.
While this was going on, the first officer continued her duties.
"As the plane continued its flight, Haak further engaged in inappropriate conduct in the cockpit, as the first officer continued to perform her duties as an assigned aircrew member," the statement says.
The judge told Haak that his actions had a traumatic effect on the co-pilot and could have impacted the safety of passengers and other co-workers.
Haak "had a duty to comport himself in a much more responsible manner", Assistant US Attorney Michael Cunningham said.
"This is not the kind of aberrant behaviour that anyone should accept," the prosecutor added.
"She had a right not to be subjected to this kind of behaviour, regardless of what may have motivated it or prompted it."
"It started as a consensual prank between me and the other pilot. I never imagined it would turn into this in a thousand years." Photo / 123rf
Haak was charged in April with intentionally committing a lewd, indecent or obscene act in a public place, a misdemeanour punishable by a maximum of 90 days in jail.
Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz said in a statement that the airline "does not tolerate behaviour of this nature and will take prompt action if such conduct is substantiated". Southwest only learned of Haak's behavior after he voluntarily left the airline, according to Mainz.
"Nonetheless, Southwest did investigate the matter and as a result, ceased paying Haak any benefits he was entitled to receive as a result of his separation from [the airline]," Mainz said.
Haak was a pilot for 27 years until his retirement.
Defense attorney Michael Salnick said Haak had a sterling career as a commercial pilot and received numerous accolades and supportive letters from passengers and colleagues, including one from Southwest chairman and CEO Gary Kelly on the day of Haak's retirement.
"We are blessed that Southwest has been your home for so many years," Kelly wrote.
