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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.
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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. Haak “had a duty to comport himself in a much more responsible manner,” Assistant U.S. The judge told Haak that his actions had a traumatic effect on the co-pilot and could have impacted the safety of passengers and other co-workers. The first officer submitted a statement to the court but didn’t speak during Friday’s hearing. READ MORE STORIES ON BLACKAMERICAWEB.“As the plane continued its flight, Haak further engaged in inappropriate conduct in the cockpit, as the first officer continued to perform her duties as an assigned aircrew member,” the statement says. Haak any benefits he was entitled to receive as a result of his separation from (the airline),” Mainz said in a statement. Southwest spokesperson Chris Mainz said the airline “does not tolerate behavior of this nature and will take prompt action if such conduct is substantiated.” “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. His attorney Michael Salnick said in a court filing that his client deserves a lenient sentence given his “lifetime of hard work and kindness.” I never imagined it would turn into this in a thousand years,” Haak said during the virtual hearing.
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“It started as a consensual prank between me and the other pilot. STAY INFORMED! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER!
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Mark Coulson before he was ordered to serve probation and pay a $5,000 fine. Haak, who retired after the incident, was charged in April and pleaded guilty to committing a lewd, indecent or obscene act in a public place.Īccording to the reports, Haak apologized on Friday before US Magistrate Judge J. “This is not the kind of aberrant behavior that anyone should accept,” the prosecutor added.