An American Airlines passenger says their flight took an unexpected turn after everyone had boarded, only for travelers to be told later they had to get back off the plane.
User @ihurrrrr didn’t share many details about the flight but claimed that somebody removed the passengers from the aircraft due to an issue involving the pilot.
“POV: American Airlines boards the whole [plane] decides at midnight to offload you because the pilot was sleepy,” they wrote in the text overlay of their clip.
In the caption, @ihurrrrr questioned how the situation came to be in the first place. “Is there not a copilot / did the pilot not realize he was sleepy before……… wtF.”
However, the creator later clarified in the comments that there may have been more to the situation.
“Hiiiiiiii – re the pilot – he landed a day before, and the other pilot was very upset at him (so something else could have happened),” @ihurrrrr wrote. “Totally get it, a pilot is sleepy!!!! It was just odd we all boarded, and it was decided an hour after being on the plane when the pilot was aware of the flight!!!!!!”
The video had garnered more than 213,400 views.
Can A Pilot Stop Flying Because They’re Tired?
While it might sound unusual to some passengers, pilot fatigue is a legitimate safety concern in aviation.
Federal Aviation Administration rules limit how long pilots can work and how much rest they need between shifts. Those limits depend on several factors, including when a pilot’s day starts and how many flights they are scheduled to operate.
Pilots are also required to get a minimum rest period before their next assignment. Under current FAA rules, this includes at least 10 consecutive hours of rest with the opportunity for 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
That’s why delays can sometimes create issues. Even if a pilot is originally scheduled to operate a flight, unexpected delays can push crews closer to their maximum allowed duty time.
In some cases, that means a crew member can no longer legally continue, and the airline has to find a replacement before the flight can depart.
The FAA also makes clear that pilots are responsible for making sure they are fit to fly. If a pilot believes fatigue could affect their ability to safely operate an aircraft, that needs to be addressed.
While it’s not immediately clear exactly what happened on @ihurrrrr’s American Airlines flight, generally, a pilot saying they are too tired to fly is not treated like someone wanting to skip work.
Viewers Say Pilot Made The Right Call
While @ihurrrrr was frustrated by the situation, many commenters argued that they would rather deal with a delay than have a pilot fly when they may not be able to do so safely.
“‘Pilot is sleepy’ is a good enough reason for me,” one person wrote.
“So, would you want a tired pilot to fly you?” another questioned.
Others pointed out that fatigue rules exist for a reason and are taken seriously throughout the aviation industry.
“The regulations regarding pilot fatigue are written in blood,” one commenter said.
“Pilot fatigue is taken extremely seriously in aviation and for good reason,” another added.
Some viewers suggested there may have been more going on behind the scenes, including the possibility that the pilot had reached work-hour limits.
“Yeahhh, that pilot most likely timed out due to the delay, and he legally is not allowed to work,” one person wrote. “And mind you, that can only happen if he worked more than 14 to 16 hours. Can’t imagine being upset someone just worked their ass off and they [have] to make sure someone fit for duty is getting you to your destination.”
“Him being ‘sleepy’ means his day started 14 hours ago,” another suggested. “I’m sure if you were up at 9 am working all day, you’d probably be pretty ‘sleepy’ at midnight.”
Another viewer said they trusted the pilot’s judgment.
“If the pilot just says he doesn’t feel like working today, that’s good enough for me personally,” they wrote.
@ihurrrrr Is there not a copilot / did the pilot not realize he was sleepy before……… wtF
BroBible has reached out to @ihurrrrr via direct message on TikTok and American Airlines via email. We’ll update this story if we hear back.