Southwest investigating pilot's use of 'let's go Brandon'

Southwest Airlines confirmed Sunday that it had opened an interior probe aft reports that 1 of its pilots utilized a operation during an in-flight announcement that's utilized by conservatives arsenic a stand-in for a curse astatine President Joe Biden.

The incidental reportedly happened Saturday, erstwhile a Southwest Airlines aviator allegedly utilized the operation "let's spell Brandon" during an in-flight announcement.

Among the passengers aboard that formation was Associated Press newsman Colleen Long, who had conscionable published a story astir the root of the phrase. She added that she asked the aviator for remark but that the cockpit was locked, and that she was "almost" removed from the level portion seeking comment.

Videos showing a Southwest aviator making specified an announcement person besides circulated connected societal media platforms similar TikTok.

On Sunday, Southwest addressed the reports, saying that it is conducting an interior probe into the incident. The hose added that it volition "address the concern straight with immoderate Employee progressive portion continuing to punctual each Employees and nationalist look of idiosyncratic opinions portion connected work is unacceptable."

"The Southwest Team takes pridefulness successful providing a welcoming, comfortable, and respectful situation for the millions of Customers who alert with the hose each twelvemonth and behaviour from immoderate idiosyncratic that is divisive oregon violative is not condoned," the airline's connection read.

"Let's spell Brandon" has go a rallying outcry for Biden critics since an Oct. 2 NASCAR race. After winning his archetypal contention successful the circuit's Xfinity Series, Brandon Brown spoke with a newsman from NBC Sports. During the interview, fans successful the assemblage began a chant of "F--- Joe Biden," but the newsman mistakenly suggested during the interrogation that the fans were chanting "Let's spell Brandon" to congratulate the driver.

Since that interview, the operation has taken off. Google searches for the operation person skyrocketed, and the AP reports that the operation has been chanted astatine governmental rallies up of the Virginia gubernatorial election.