![]() ![]() Haak “further engaged in inappropriate conduct in the cockpit.” The press release did not elaborate on what exactly he was doing. While still in the cockpit, he began viewing pornographic material on the computer.Įven though the first officer remained in the cockpit working her assigned duty. Once the aircraft reached cruising altitude, Haak admitted that he got out of the captain’s chair, “intentionally disrobed,” and pulled out his laptop. His first officer was a female aviator with whom he had never worked before. Pilot “Disrobed” and Viewed Pornography Next to Female First OfficerĪccording to a plea agreement, Haak was the assigned captain and pilot-in-command of a Southwest flight departing Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to Orlando International Airport (MCO) on August 10, 2020. District Attorney for the District of Maryland announced 60-year-old Michael Haak was convicted after entering into a plea agreement. In a plea agreement, 60-year-old Michael Haak disrobed and viewed pornographic material with a female co-pilot still in the compartment.Ī former Southwest Airlines pilot based in Florida will be on probation for one year and be forced to pay a fine of $5,000, after pleading guilty to committing a lewd act on an aircraft he was in command of. News from © Canadian Press Enterprises Inc.A former Southwest Airlines pilot will be on probation for one year and face a $5,000 fine, after pleading guilty to federal charges related to a lewd act in the cockpit. “The embarrassment and resulting publicity of this incident has in and of itself been humbling to Michael Haak and has served as punishment in many ways,” he wrote. Salnick argued that Haak deserves a lenient sentence given his “lifetime of hard work and kindness.” Haak accepts responsibility for his conduct and “offers no excuses,” his lawyer said in a court filing. “We are blessed that Southwest has been your home for so many years,” Kelly wrote. Haak any benefits he was entitled to receive as a result of his separation from (the airline),” Mainz said.ĭefense 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. “Nonetheless, Southwest did investigate the matter and as a result, ceased paying Mr. Southwest spokesperson Chris Mainz said in a statement that the airline “does not tolerate behavior 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. 31, 2020, three weeks after the incident that led to the criminal charge. His last flight for the Dallas-based airline was on Aug. Haak, a resident of Longwood, Florida, was a Southwest Airlines pilot for 27 years until his retirement. The judge wasn’t bound by that recommendation. He was charged in Maryland because it was one of the states that the aircraft passed over that day.įederal prosecutors agreed to recommend a sentence of probation without requiring Haak to register as a sex offender. Haak was charged in April with intentionally committing a lewd, indecent or obscene act in a public place, a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of 90 days in jail. “She had a right not to be subjected to this kind of behavior, regardless of what may have motivated it or prompted it,” the prosecutor said. “This is not the kind of aberrant behavior that anyone should accept,” the prosecutor added.Ĭunningham said the first officer “unfortunately suffered some consequences” as a result of the incident that Haak “didn’t have anything to do with,” but he didn’t elaborate. ![]()
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