Southwest Airlines is apologizing after one of the pilots stated, “Let’s Go, Brandon” over the intercom to passengers after landing.
The phrase has become a colloquial way of saying “F—k Joe Biden” among right-wing supporters.
So, how did we get here? Glad you asked.
It all started when NASCAR driver Brandon Brown won his first NASCAR Xfinity Series on Oct. 2. Fans began chanting “F—k Joe Biden” after his race, but an NBC reporter thought the crowd was chanting something different, as reported in The Wrap.
“As you can hear, the chants from the crowd — ‘Let’s go, Brandon,’” the reporter said, before asking Brown about his strategy for the race.
The awkward exchange is how we got here and the phrase took off from there.
In a statement, the airline stated:
“The Southwest Airlines team takes pride in providing a welcoming, comfortable, safe, and respectful environment for the millions of customers who fly with us each year. Southwest does not condone employees sharing their personal political opinions while on-the-job serving our customers, and one employee’s individual perspective should not be interpreted as the viewpoint of Southwest and its collective 54,000 employees.”
Leaders also announced that they are conducting an internal investigation, with plans to “address the situation directly with any employee involved.”
“Southwest does not tolerate any behavior that encourages divisiveness, as it does not reflect the Southwest hospitality and inclusiveness for which we are known and strive to provide each day on every flight,” the statement continues.
The airline faced some heavy criticism online after an Associated Press journalist took to Twitter to report what she heard on the Friday night flight from Houston to Albuquerque. According to the journalist, she heard the pilot say, “let’s go Brandon” over the public address system, adding that passengers let out an audible gasp.