WWYD if you discovered you were flying with a flat Earther?

[arkavgal]

I'd just like to say that Eratosthenes calculating the circumference of the Earth in ~200 BC (200 BC!!!!) is one of the more baller things in the history of science. Respect.

Sorry you have to deal with the weirdo. It's certainly going to be eye opening when I start to encounter those folks myself.

That's awesome. I learned something new today. Thanks.

 

[derg]

Apparently we have one in my base. I’m torn between wanting to fly with him so I can tear apart his idiotic beliefs, or just calling out sick so I don’t have to deal with it (unfortunately I typically fly single departure lines around 11-13 days long, which is brutal if the other guy is a weirdo).

More importantly, at some point is this kind of behavior indicative of mental illness? Where do you draw the line between eccentricity and “Holy crap, I’m afraid to leave this person at the controls while I’m in the lav?” The FlyDubai incident has me thinking that some of these crazy people are not to be trusted.

I’m usually very open with listening to people and their weird ass thoughts, but I just don’t have patience for it anymore. I flew with an anti-vax guy several months ago, and I just straight up told him his opinions are ridiculous and based on nonsense since he wouldn’t take the initial hints and change the subject.

He stopped talking about it afterwards thank goodness, but I actually had to threaten some jackass a few years ago with calling out on the trip and getting Pro Stans involved if he wouldn’t shut up about his constant stream of BS conspiracy theories about COVID.

Fortunately these people are rare, but I do encounter 1-2 people a year that just seem absolutely nuts. I never once encountered someone like this at my old regional for whatever reason.

What are your strategies for dealing with crazy co-workers?

Oh I have and I just ‘watched the show’. He was a “Young Earther” too.

“To imagine all this was carved-out by the great flood”

 

[Roger Roger]

Oh I have and I just ‘watched the show’. He was a “Young Earther” too.

“To imagine all this was carved-out by the great flood”

I love to neurodivergent info dump about the Spokane Floods when we’re getting delay vectored on the GLASR arrival into SEA

 

[arkavgal]

My ex-mother-in-law recently told my kid that airplanes are putting toxic chemicals into the sky and that McDonald's uses meat from human morgues. She is very religious, which fits the profile, but those conspiracies are out of left field. My ex had to talk to her. The stuff people believe is wild, and the internet helps spread it.

My parents believe that the Earth is 6,000 years old. I can at least empathize with that, because I used to believe it. Once I was about 18, I knew that was total BS. Some geology and evolution courses in college put to rest any doubt that young-earth theory isn't plausible.

 

[Karnage]

Don't most airlines allow an FO to request not to fly with a particular captain?

In the monthly bid, yes.

But afterword once it’s published and in effect there’s no guarantee the person you avoided won’t swap into your trip or that you won’t be rerouted into a multi day trip with them. And if you’re on reserve forget it, you fly with whomever and that can sometimes mean getting to fly with the people most others avoid.

 

[Roger Roger]

In the monthly bid, yes.

But afterword once it’s published and in effect there’s no guarantee the person you avoided won’t swap into your trip or that you won’t be rerouted into a multi day trip with them. And if you’re on reserve forget it, you fly with whomever and that can sometimes mean getting to fly with the people most others avoid.

The only guy on my no fly list retired. I do have a growing list of weirdos that I’ll think twice about how badly I really want that trip. And not all of them are RWNJs.

 

[Skåning]

I'd just like to say that Eratosthenes calculating the circumference of the Earth in ~200 BC (200 BC!!!!) is one of the more baller things in the history of science. Respect.

Carl Sagan did a amazing 2 minutes on it, well worth the watch!

 

[Karnage]

The only guy on my no fly list retired. I do have a growing list of weirdos that I’ll think twice about how badly I really want that trip. And not all of them are RWNJs.

The only people I ever put on bid avoid were those for whom trips with them are never ending adventures in protecting myself against certificate action, with one exception who was just an insufferable ass.

 

[Roger Roger]

The only people I ever put on bid avoid were those for whom trips with them are never ending adventures in protecting myself against certificate action, with one exception who was just an insufferable ass.

Exactly. The weirdos I can decide to put up with or not, I can usually find something to trade into if I’m not feeling the vibe. If you, hypothetically, taxi the wrong way 3 times in one ORD visit, straight to the shadow realm buddy. Bonus points for being an angry whack job on top of it.