Passenger Stunned By What Pilot Apologizes For On Flight: ‘Not Allowed’
February 12, 2026
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A passenger flying out of Dallas last week shared an unexpected moment from the cockpit that left fellow travelers stunned.
Posting briefly on Reddit, the user Quiet_Plant6667 described how their American Airlines pilot tried to delay departure for 10 passengers with tight connections, only to be told he was “not allowed” to wait.
According to the original poster (OP), the pilot came on the intercom before takeoff and explained he was attempting to hold the aircraft for several connecting passengers.
‘Go NOW’
“He came on the intercom and said he was trying to hold the plane for 10 passengers who had tight connections and thanked us for our patience,” the OP wrote, noting that no one on board complained.
A few minutes later, the pilot returned to the intercom with an update.
“He came on again and said he couldn’t hold any longer; they were telling him he had to go NOW,” the OP wrote.
The moment that struck the passenger most came next. The pilot apologized, “for the way AA treats its passengers and said we deserved better.”
The post prompted discussion about how departure decisions are made.
As one Reddit individual suggested, there may have been operational constraints at play, writing, “I would imagine there was probably another plane landing and scheduled at the gate, might be people on that plane with tight connections.”
Another pundit pointed to airline operations control.
“The decision to hold comes from the IOC and, to a lesser extent, the station, not the CA,” the pundit offered.
“The pilots will not get in trouble—the duty pilot might ask them why they held departure, but that’s literally all that will happen.”
Strict Policies
Airlines operate under strict gate and departure policies that can limit a captain’s discretion.
American Airlines states on its website: “You must be at the gate and ready to board the plane: 15 minutes before departure on domestic flights 30 minutes before departure for international flights.”
The company adds, “The doors close at least 10 minutes before departure. Once the door is shut, it will not be reopened unless there is health, safety or security issue,” according to its Flying with American page.
The airline also notes that, “Safety is our top priority. We’re also committed to providing a positive and dependable travel experience for all of our customers.”
For passengers who wish to raise concerns, American directs them to customer relations representatives. “Good or bad, we want to hear from you,” the company states on its Customer Relations page.
While the Reddit poster did not identify the specific flight or date, they described the pilot’s apology as unexpected and candid.
In an industry where on-time performance is closely tracked and tightly managed, gate departures often involve coordination between flight crews, ground staff and operations control.
The exchange resonated with travelers who have experienced tight connections firsthand. For the OP, the moment stood out not because of a delay, but because of what the pilot chose to say before pushing back from the gate.
Newsweek has reached out to Quiet_Plant6667 for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, click here.
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