A passenger's sexist remarks towards a WestJet pilot have sparked online outrage after photos of the vitriolic comments scrawled on a napkin were posted online.
Carey Smith Steacy, a pilot with the Calgary-based carrier, had completed her flight from Calgary to Victoria on Sunday only to find this note from a passenger, identified only as "David" from seat 12E, apparently outraged that his pilot was a woman.
The message also references Chapter 31 from the Book of Proverbs, which is most commonly identified as listing the attributes of an ideal woman.
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Steacy, who lives in Surrey, B.C., first posted the photos on her Facebook page, along with her response. Both made their way to various chat forums and Reddit.
Still, Steacy says she was a little shocked after receiving the message.
"I just couldn’t believe there are still people in this country that think like that," she told Metro News.
WestJet, for its part, was quick to denounce the note, saying it's proud of all their pilots.
"We have female captains and female first officers flying on all WestJet aircraft to all WestJet destinations. We're enormously proud of the professionalism, skill, experience and expertise of our pilots and we were very disappointed to find this note," Robert Palmer, a spokesman with the airline, wrote to the The Huffington Post Canada in an email.
Carey Smith Steacy, a pilot with the Calgary-based carrier, had completed her flight from Calgary to Victoria on Sunday only to find this note from a passenger, identified only as "David" from seat 12E, apparently outraged that his pilot was a woman.
The message also references Chapter 31 from the Book of Proverbs, which is most commonly identified as listing the attributes of an ideal woman.
The cockpit of airliner is no place for a woman. A woman being a mother is the most honor [sic], not as "captain." We're short mothers, not pilots WestJet.
Proverbs 31
(Sorry, not PC)
P.S.: I wish WestJet could tell me a fair lady is at the helm so I can book another flight!
Steacy, who lives in Surrey, B.C., first posted the photos on her Facebook page, along with her response. Both made their way to various chat forums and Reddit.
“To @David in 12E on my flight #463 from Calgary to Victoria today. It was my pleasure flying you safely to your destination. Thank you for the note you discreetly left me on your seat. You made sure to ask the flight attendants before we left if I had enough hours to be the Captain so safety is important to you, too. I have heard many comments from people throughout my 17 year career as a pilot. Most of them positive. Your note is, without a doubt, the funniest. It was a joke, right? RIGHT?? I thought, not. You were more than welcome to deplane when you heard I was a “fair lady.” You have that right. Funny, we all, us humans, have the same rights in this great free country of ours. Now, back to my most important role, being a mother.”
Still, Steacy says she was a little shocked after receiving the message.
"I just couldn’t believe there are still people in this country that think like that," she told Metro News.
WestJet, for its part, was quick to denounce the note, saying it's proud of all their pilots.
"We have female captains and female first officers flying on all WestJet aircraft to all WestJet destinations. We're enormously proud of the professionalism, skill, experience and expertise of our pilots and we were very disappointed to find this note," Robert Palmer, a spokesman with the airline, wrote to the The Huffington Post Canada in an email.