A Pilot that refuses to follow the safety instructions by the crew and endangers other passenger doesn't make anyone feel comfortable about the safety culture of an airline! How would you react in this scenario? Does he have the same attitude when operating the plane? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks!
I hope he gets sacked if I’m being honest he’s risked the lives of 100 or so people so he doesn’t deserve to be able to be in a position to do that anymore
It should be adressed to Ethiopian straight away. The footage is clearly showing he is not complying. Does he comply to all rules when in the cockpit, or do rules don't count for him too, there? Not that he should be sacked, but he should be coached at least to follow regulations. What a bad behaviour!
We can't do anything about that If he was already told. We can escalate that by reporting that over to their management, by file the complaint, writing a statement, and narrate how the subject character acted or his/her demeanor during the interaction.
Well, most of the local Ethiopian Pilots are known to be very arrogant and undisciplined Pilots. The foreign pilots have mentioned this and even flying we do hear them when they do their radio transmissions. They are very undisciplined.Its a shame for a Pilot to be acting that way I front of the passengers.
Last flight on Ethiopian we had a great flight from Paris to JNB but it’ll be our last. That pilot is a horses rear end. I bet he behaves like that in the cockpit. If that’s the standard of your flight crew, Ethiopian is off the list for our yearly flights to SA.
Josh,thank you for the feed back on the pilot,as an Ethiopian airlines staff,I am very sure that Ethiopian airlines will take the necessary corrective action.Ethiopian airlines has zero tolerance for safety issue.
i am the fleet manager for the 737 at the airline. i can confirm that this pilot has been disciplined. he will be on unpaid leave due to this. this incident was a complete violation of the employee travelling on standby/traveling due to work purposes policy.
As a former pilot I was always conscious when positioning as a passenger, in uniform, of the need to create a good impression for the airline. There's no excuse for that guy's behaviour.
Usually you will understand when something happens with the plane and he won't be able to do anything like AF447. Most people don't get that there arexsome very bad pilots around the world who shouldn't be flying at all....
You can literally see how his seat is still reclined and all his stuff is still laying around when you disembark...what a safety hazard this guy is. This pilot should be grounded as it reflects really poorly on the airline. I wonder what checklists he skips when at the flight deck. Thanks for calling this out. If I would act like this on a flight and refuse to obey the safety orders given by the crew this would cause a big issue and police would meet me at the gate!
This is why I like Josh because he documents what really could happen on board, I flew for 8 years as flight attendant and yes! When you’re dead heading, all eyes are on you, even more when you’re on duty, and sometimes pilots think we’re almighty and do what ever they want and no, while dead heading they’re regular passengers and must comply with all rules and most importantly be respectful to the cabin crew
Every flight I've been on, the crew is there to ensure that my seat is upright. Why this crew didn't do this is beyond me....responsibility not just on the off-duty pilot, but also the crew.
I had the same experience on Ethiopian Airlines when an off-duty (female) pilot sitting in business refused to put her seat upright or even wear a seatbelt as we were landing. On the second flight we arrived in business to find that the cabin crew had filled all the overhead lockers with their carry-on luggage. They eventually agreed to clear a space for us. You are 100% correct - they need to enforce safety rules and expect cabin crew to respect passengers and not regard them as an inconvenience.
As a Flight Safety Manager I would just ground him, and investigate through with the cabin crew, they should also put a cabin report on this incident, normally a warning letter will issued and also attend a safety training before he is allowed onboard, if he is a repeater offender than he could loose his license.
Josh, with food poisoning you must not eat anything at all as it feeds the infection and makes it worse. All you need is the special fluids with electrolytes to help replenish the minerals and salts you are losing. I always have Immodium on hand and Gaviscon for heartburn and nausea. Sleep and rest is very important to help you recover faster.
Exactly. This is a comment I would also make. I have already posted in prior videos how you can continually gorge yourself with all that airline food and yet keep such a svelte appearance. Despite your so called resilience, its not surprising that you often suffer from abdominal and digestive upsets. Otherwise your reportages are impresively honest.
@@shirleyvalentine2794 It depends how contaminated the food was and how much he ate of it. I had food poisoning from contaminated fish and it was so bad I thought I was going to miscarry as I was 5 months pregnant. the two other adults who ate the fish were also very sick, but not the 2 year old child who only ate the fries. It took days for us to recover and we couldn't even look food, We were advised to drink flat ginger ale which we heated and ;et cool so it was flat. It helped with the nausea and gurgling stomach.
@Juanita-gf4te I also got food poisoning in Thailand from fish. My body was emptying from both sides and my teeth were chattering from the shaking while it was 35 degrees. It took me 48 hours to recover. A truly horrible experience that I wouldn't wish on anyone.
Absolutely correct-that off duty Pilot should be sanctioned for his behavior.He needs to be checked out and made to understand his responsibilities.Frankly if i owned the Airline he would be dismissed.
I'm using Ethiopian frequently from Scandinavia to southern Africa, i feel safe on Board and the food is even in Economy Class very good. I like this Airline 👍🙂
The pilot having to be fired, yes but the cabin crew in the air doesn't have as much safety compared to (non-corrupt) police on the ground. Last thing any crew wants to cause is escalation during flight so some accept some abuse in exchange for overall safety. Similarly to why there are cigarrette disposals even on brand-new planes despite cigarretes being banned from use onboard.
You didn't see it because Josh has the decency not to post such an exchange online. Imagine how uncomfortable it must be for the crew in uniform, representing their country having a famous TH-camr (who may or may not be filming) sitting right across from a fellow colleague not complying with safety procedures. Would you want someone to stick a camera in your face and post the footage online if you confronted someone at your job for breaking safety rules and they told you to F off?
As a student at the Ethiopian aviation university ( where they train the pilots) I can guarantee you that this isn't the discipline and ethics our school teaches they probably got rid of him by now
Reminds me of a flight from BKK to LHR. I collapsed at check in from food poisoning. Attended by a doctor and 3 nurses. Had a line inserted and given loads of tablets to get home OK.
Very disrespectful to his colleagues, his passengers and his company. Its all about him. Hope I never get him on a plane I am on. Edit: I am a bus driver I would not flaunt the rules the way this guy does.
As a former Purser I would have informed the deadheading CPT about what consequences he’d face by not complying the safety rules. I would have told him that I’m going to speak with the on duty CPT and that we‘ll probably report this incident. When you’re a crewmember you have to be a rolemodel for other passengers by living the safety standards.
39 years in the airlines. Have never landed when the cabin is not secure. The head flight attendant/purser, should have advised the cockpit crew that the cabin is NOT secure, because of the A..hole seated in 1A. If that involved a go-around, so be it. That would solve things very quickly, and am pretty sure would not be repeated by any deadhead crew again.
I have had food poisoning too many times in too many places. I stay away from salads in 3rd world countries. Been sick in first class cruise ships & 1st world countries. I don't remember ever having a fever with food poisoning. Now carry over the counter medication. Glad you were feeling better at the end of you video!
Josh In future purchase stomach relief medicines when you travel. For someone who travels every week to different countries, your stomach may not react well to foods that are spicy or oily.
Josh makes an excellent point. Safety is the foundation of aviation, and adherence to safety instructions is non-negotiable for every passenger, especially for a pilot who serves as a role model and leader in ensuring safety. A pilot disregarding crew instructions raises questions about their professional judgment and respect for protocols. If they can overlook simple safety measures as a passenger, it naturally begs the question: Are they just as complacent when in command of an aircraft? This behavior undermines the safety culture that airlines work so hard to maintain and could erode passenger trust in the industry. What message does this send to other passengers or even fellow crew members? Strict compliance with safety procedures should be a shared responsibility, regardless of one’s position or title. This incident isn't just about one person-it reflects on the airline as a whole. How would you feel flying with an airline if their pilots demonstrated such disregard for safety?
The guy is not an off duty pilot, he is something like a destination ground handling manager. I observed the same attitude with them when flying to Nigeria
Josh...you are absolutely correct about the off duty pilot. I am sure once his superiors see this video, he will be reprimanded. As far as food poisoning, always travel with immodium. That stuff works well. Hope you got over your stomach issue.
Ethiopia has always had a great airline, even back in the '70s with 707s & 720s which had a beautiful livery for that period. Ŵonder if Ethiopia has an aviation heritage to speak of, given its proud aviation history.
How do larger people use the max restrooms? Very carefully. At close to 2 meters, basically I cannot stand up in the front 737 lav. Moving around hunched over kinda sucks. That said, much more concerning for narrowbody lavs is that almost no airlines have accessible restrooms. While widebodies have been required to have a wheelchair accessible lav for decades, this will only be required in narrowbodies in a few years. This was probably because in the 1980s, narrowbodies were used in shorter flights only. But with the rise of these longer distance planes, it creates a huge problem for people with disabilities. Its worth noting that both the MAX and A320/321 have options for wheelchair accessible lavs. However, extremely few airlines have optioned this. People in wheelchairs either tend to have to wear diapers or avoid flights with narrowbodies -- which is pretty hard and sometimes you get downgauges. Its a serious accessibility issue, and it is disappointing that airlines have to be forced to accommodate people with disabilities. (Its also disappointing regulators look more than 20 years after the 757s started flying TATL to make this change. This will change in the next few years. However, it will only apply in a few years and only new builds. Hundreds of maxes, LRs, and even XLRs will run for decades without this. I just have to crouch and be uncomfortable. People in wheelchairs are holding it or worse.
Nice flight review, the inflight service looks decent. The off duty pilot who sat in business class with his seat reclined and window shades shut at landing should be grounded as a punishment for a few months. As an airline crew he should not be told to do this things as he is already aware of the airlines rules and regulation.
Good to know you were in Kano but just to let you know, there are several posh hotels in Kano that are way better than the one you were in. I’ve flown Ethiopian Airlines a couple of times, fantastic FA always. 👍
I’m usually against filming people in the work place, but this “pilot” deserves everything he gets. His entire demeanour is one of arrogance. Clearly the crew were too afraid to tell him to get his stuff together for landing. This is typical of a person who is entitled and only in their role via nepotism and corruption. Here you go Ethiopian, your entire image ruined thanks to this arrogant individual - is it worth having them? I have flown with people that have these attitudes, they are an even bigger nightmare inside the cockpit. Edit - I see someone saying he isn’t a pilot, it doesn’t matter if he is or isn’t. He is representing the company in his uniform and not arrogantly not complying with the rules.
Hey Josh. Thank you for this video. It's a very nice report. It is true that the pilot's behavior is something to question. Glad to see that the cabin crew were pleasant on these 2 flights. I look forward to the rest of your adventures with the long-awaited flight on Air Zimbabwe's 737-200. By the way, you were so excited to eat some butter chicken in the last episode 🤣Sorry... You're definitely not blessed with food poisoning. I regularly fly Ethiopian on the BRU-ADD-JNB route. Honestly, I've never had a bad experience with them. Okay, they are known for last-minute schedule changes and you shouldn't count too much on the type of plane that is initially scheduled. Their application is also pretty rotten. The communication from the airline is also awful; for instance; 3 schedule changes in 24 hours to finally return to the initial schedule and an email announcing my ADD-JNB flight as cancelled when I had just landed at JNB. On this route, the service offerel by Ethiopian is at the level of European companies like BA or Lufthansa that I used before. But it's true that in terms of security, they are much less strict than other companies I have flown (for example, with Emirates, there is no question of keeping a cushion or a bag on your knees at the time of take-off when you are seated at the emergency exit row). On the other hand, when it comes to emergency exits, they are much more uncompromising towards the passengers who sit there and expect a lot from them in the event of an incident. Each time, I am asked to read the instructions in the event of an evacuation; something I have never seen elsewhere. These seats should be cheaper given what they ask us to do 😂. The seats in Cloud 9 are very comfortable on the 787 or A350. I just find the portions quite small in economy. I also avoid fish which at first seems good to me but which tends to upset my intestines a little. What bothers me is the stopover in Addis which is sometimes a bit chaotic; for example at the controls. Gates B are sometimes overcrowded, which makes the general experience a bit unpleasant. It is good to know that everything is overpriced in this airport. Let's not talk about duty free which is a joke but if you are hungry, the cheapest hamburger at Burger King for example starts at 15 USD. And in the small shops, it is not better; 10 USD for a bottle of water and some chips. They do not like card payments too much and tend to keep the change when you pay in euros or dollars. It's really a shock these prices and these practices, especially when you come from Johannesburg for example.
Thanks for the reminder to buy active charcoal. Sorry, for your butter chicken food poisoning. But great reminder for me that I used up all my supplies in my kit. Active charcoal has saved me on more than one trip to India.🇮🇳
I could be wrong, but I think the guy is an engineer, not a pilot. I worked for BA, we often carried engineers with us within Africa on our shuttle flights, they were needed if there wasn’t a licensed engineer for the aircraft type at a particular airport, one of the exceptions were stations that had KLM engineers, they operated the same aircraft type as we did at the time.
You are not right .Tahir guest palace is a low budget hotel in Kano. And no way near international best standards. Bristol Hotel is a 5 start hotel based in Kano and is the best. Check it out next time
Re the crew member refusing to adhere to regulations, I Experienced the same situation on a Singapore Airlines flight between SIN & KUL, it was a passenger but in a lay flat seat next to me on a 737- 800 MAX. The seat in full flat mode during decent landing and taxi to the gate. While the passenger wasn't crew!! the Singapore crew did nothing and totally ignored the situation, while i have 2 flights still booked and payed for with SQ they will be my last ever; based on the the lack of response from the airline in relation to this incident.
I agree with you about the pilot but if you where unwell and had a fever maybe you should have seen a nurse/doctor before getting on the plane with other passengers as it might been other than the butter chicken sorry I am saying this because anyone who is unwell should be checked before they go into an enclosed place with other people
Ah well...I once got food poisoned at a restaurant in my home town, then started to feel the symptoms as I waited for a flight in the airport, after security... What to do then? Suddenly felt the need to go to the restroom QUICK, threw up etc., and thought well, it's too late to turn around (bag checked in and everything), I have to take the flight. Thankfully it was just a short hop from Copenhagen to Riga, but then I lay knocked-out in my hotel room for 24 hours 😵💫
Enjoyed the video:) Common misconception, but although by far the largest city in Tanzania, Dodoma is the country's official capital. Has been since 1996.
I really felt for you there.. Going from "They have the best buttered chicken i´ve ever had!" to "Don´t ever eat buttered chicken at the tahir palace in bloody Kano" really made me smile😄, Sorry man...
I recently flew with them in 4 flights (6 take offs and landings), and I'd think that they're one of the stricter airlines in security. Their B737 Max isn't great... As a tall guy, I slightly suffered. But their B787s tho, they're great! Better pitch than most airlines. Overall, they're even better than some airlines outside of Africa
I do hope the airline hears about this. Arrogance has no place in society, let alone flying 300 people at 40,000 feet at 500mph. PILOT: YOU ARE A DISGRACE. Good call out Josh. Legend of the skies.
I wonder why josh you mever travel to Sudan before a beautiful country with great history unfortunate its in problems but you still have a chance to visit port sudan try tarco airlines or badr and see the pride of the red ssa
6:20 On airport runways there is always the letter "N". In the aviation industry the planes take off in North direction of the airport Even if that direction is going towards a mountain they still take off in that direction and then start turning onto the actual flight direction. They also have specific points on their airport map similar to road names when you are driving. Except that those points are gps points that serve are their "air road". Thats why planes don't hit one another in the air everyday even when it's clouds
Ethiopian Airlines is the epitome of resting on its laurels. It has become complacent after achieving the status of Africa’s biggest and best airline. Its standards have declined in every aspect of the aviation experience. Josh, you have done an exceptional job exposing how Ethiopian Airlines is heading in the wrong direction. This is the kind of critique we should expect from other aviation travel channels but rarely receive. Greetings all the way from Mogadishu, Somalia 🇸🇴.
Josh, you may want to modify the thumbnail and title to "Off Duty Pilot". When I first looked at the video title, got me thinking about my upcoming trip in February 2025 on Ethiopian Airlines from JFK - ADD-DEL and flashed the Max 737 accident thru my brain Thank GOD, it turns out to be theeoff duty pilot, but I would strongly say that "It's Crew and then Operating Pilot's responsibility" that all the passengers comply to the Safety Protocol of the Airline
Another superb video, thank you. I like the way you see the details and especially the poor attitude of the off-duty captain. Well done despite a butter chicken that wasn't quite so good!
South African were the top African airline but that was many years ago, I've only heard good things about Ethiopian though and your video confirms it, that looked alright.
Hello, Josh. You have good content. I saw a video from you about KQ (Kenya Airways) flight to Paris and got curious about what you were saying about my country's airline. After viewing it and a few others I was convinced that your channel is about facts from the consumer side of this service. Of course, I also check the supplier side i.e other TH-camrs and National Geographic. These are the people who tell us how this industry operates from the supplier side. But yours is unique because it tells us about what we should expect when we board those planes. I have been a user of this service before and therefore I do understand what you are telling us. And, Yes, Keep it up. Airline managers should not be annoyed for being asked to account for their actions. That's the only way we can make things better for everyone. Sorry for what you went through with some airlines.
You know what's worse than not putting up your seat back, buckling in or leaving out personal items during an emergency landing? Having a pet in the cabin during one yet that's fine by the FAA.
Any time you are in public and wearing a company uniform, regardless if you are on the clock, you are representing your employer. Doesn't matter if you are shopping in a grocery store, or flying on a plane. I've had jobs where you were not allowed to wear your uniform outside of work for this reason.
Hi Josh , As a former CSD, this kind of behaviour is absolutely unacceptable, unprofessional, and unsafe. Being in an airline uniform in a leading position, he should be setting an example in case of any emergency. Sometimes, he might be needed to take the lead in case something happened to his partner in the flight deck. The key word for this piolt : ( to be grounded minimum for 3 months + intensive safety training).And I hope the crew supervisor had reported this incident for further discipline.
Hello Josh. From your comment on SAA. I am from South africa but i have actually never flown SAA as they are normally more expensive than any of the other airlines but from what i have herd about the airline from my friends is that there are other airlines in this part of the world that give u better value for the money. I personally dout that they will have a comeback and ever be able to rival Ethiopian airlines. Pls come to South africa again and some of uir outher airlines like Lift and Cemair.
I found it unacceptable that the pilot doesn´t follow the safety instructions. Hope the airline will know how to deal with him. On the other hand, I flew with ET a couple of times, and they always gave me the impression of a highly professional airline.
I had that happen on a flight to Bali. I'm guessing he was a pilot. Front row of business class, near me. Didn't raise his seat back. Had his legs raised. Kept his laptop open on his lap, using it. Both taking off and landing. Was in his mid 50s maybe. I thought it was rude. 🙄
Almost became an Inflight Medical Emergency.... not the best idea to fly with medical conditions. I have had two airlines decline carriage due to passenger unwell, both food poisoning related. I had to help out three IFME over the years.
Josh, trust Ethiopian Airlines top operations management has seen your video by now and taken necessary actions against this hot headed irresponsible pilot who is a great risk for the passengers and for the airlines. Great, for having presented such a video which is an eye opener for the airlines, apart from your regular airline review vlogs.👍
A Pilot that refuses to follow the safety instructions by the crew and endangers other passenger doesn't make anyone feel comfortable about the safety culture of an airline! How would you react in this scenario? Does he have the same attitude when operating the plane? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks!
I hope he gets sacked if I’m being honest he’s risked the lives of 100 or so people so he doesn’t deserve to be able to be in a position to do that anymore
It should be adressed to Ethiopian straight away. The footage is clearly showing he is not complying. Does he comply to all rules when in the cockpit, or do rules don't count for him too, there? Not that he should be sacked, but he should be coached at least to follow regulations. What a bad behaviour!
We can't do anything about that If he was already told. We can escalate that by reporting that over to their management, by file the complaint, writing a statement, and narrate how the subject character acted or his/her demeanor during the interaction.
Well, most of the local Ethiopian Pilots are known to be very arrogant and undisciplined Pilots. The foreign pilots have mentioned this and even flying we do hear them when they do their radio transmissions. They are very undisciplined.Its a shame for a Pilot to be acting that way I front of the passengers.
Last flight on Ethiopian we had a great flight from Paris to JNB but it’ll be our last. That pilot is a horses rear end. I bet he behaves like that in the cockpit. If that’s the standard of your flight crew, Ethiopian is off the list for our yearly flights to SA.
Josh,thank you for the feed back on the pilot,as an Ethiopian airlines staff,I am very sure that Ethiopian airlines will take the necessary corrective action.Ethiopian airlines has zero tolerance for safety issue.
Fire him!!
i am the fleet manager for the 737 at the airline. i can confirm that this pilot has been disciplined. he will be on unpaid leave due to this. this incident was a complete violation of the employee travelling on standby/traveling due to work purposes policy.
Good to see you acted swiftly. Thank you for the update
I would also check with his mental well being. It was totally inappropriate!
As a former pilot I was always conscious when positioning as a passenger, in uniform, of the need to create a good impression for the airline. There's no excuse for that guy's behaviour.
Yes, when in uniform you are always representing the airline...or whoever's name is on the clothing for that matter.
@@jerrywg007 Many pilots from that region suffers self-importance syndrome. The entitlement when they graduate from college does go to their heads.
Maybe he just lost his job and now was on his way home, so he didn't care anymore. 😄
if that pilot behaves like that in the cabin I don't wanna know what safety rules he's violating when flying. Scary.
Usually you will understand when something happens with the plane and he won't be able to do anything like AF447. Most people don't get that there arexsome very bad pilots around the world who shouldn't be flying at all....
You can literally see how his seat is still reclined and all his stuff is still laying around when you disembark...what a safety hazard this guy is. This pilot should be grounded as it reflects really poorly on the airline. I wonder what checklists he skips when at the flight deck. Thanks for calling this out. If I would act like this on a flight and refuse to obey the safety orders given by the crew this would cause a big issue and police would meet me at the gate!
Sure, but why didn't the crew make sure his stuff was put away and his seat was upright?
This is why I like Josh because he documents what really could happen on board, I flew for 8 years as flight attendant and yes! When you’re dead heading, all eyes are on you, even more when you’re on duty, and sometimes pilots think we’re almighty and do what ever they want and no, while dead heading they’re regular passengers and must comply with all rules and most importantly be respectful to the cabin crew
I've worked with Ethiopian Airlines. They will shortly be recruiting a replacement for your cabin companion, I'm sure of it.
Yeah, they’re really top-notch over there. 😐
Tell that to the union 😅
Every flight I've been on, the crew is there to ensure that my seat is upright. Why this crew didn't do this is beyond me....responsibility not just on the off-duty pilot, but also the crew.
I had the same experience on Ethiopian Airlines when an off-duty (female) pilot sitting in business refused to put her seat upright or even wear a seatbelt as we were landing.
On the second flight we arrived in business to find that the cabin crew had filled all the overhead lockers with their carry-on luggage. They eventually agreed to clear a space for us.
You are 100% correct - they need to enforce safety rules and expect cabin crew to respect passengers and not regard them as an inconvenience.
Such a shame to have a great cabin crew let down by one foolish, arrogant and undisciplined pilot.
As a Flight Safety Manager I would just ground him, and investigate through with the cabin crew, they should also put a cabin report on this incident, normally a warning letter will issued and also attend a safety training before he is allowed onboard, if he is a repeater offender than he could loose his license.
What international or African agency should be interested in this?
Josh, with food poisoning you must not eat anything at all as it feeds the infection and makes it worse. All you need is the special fluids with electrolytes to help replenish the minerals and salts you are losing. I always have Immodium on hand and Gaviscon for heartburn and nausea. Sleep and rest is very important to help you recover faster.
Exactly. This is a comment I would also make. I have already posted in prior videos how you can continually gorge yourself with all that airline food and yet keep such a svelte appearance. Despite your so called resilience, its not surprising that you often suffer from abdominal and digestive upsets. Otherwise your reportages are impresively honest.
If he had real food poisoning he wouldn’t have been able to eat full stop.
@@shirleyvalentine2794 It depends how contaminated the food was and how much he ate of it. I had food poisoning from contaminated fish and it was so bad I thought I was going to miscarry as I was 5 months pregnant. the two other adults who ate the fish were also very sick, but not the 2 year old child who only ate the fries. It took days for us to recover and we couldn't even look food, We were advised to drink flat ginger ale which we heated and ;et cool so it was flat. It helped with the nausea and gurgling stomach.
@@Juanita-gf4te It helps to drink coca cola.
@Juanita-gf4te I also got food poisoning in Thailand from fish. My body was emptying from both sides and my teeth were chattering from the shaking while it was 35 degrees. It took me 48 hours to recover. A truly horrible experience that I wouldn't wish on anyone.
Ethiopian airlines should comment here on this
As staffer has already.
We’ve investigated ourselves and found we did nothing wrong
Apart from that pilot, Ethipian Airlines clearly offers very good quality and service!
Fu.k service when security is not priority in the air!
Brave of you to fly the 737 Max!
This off duty pilot demonstrates a safety culture within a company that will never see my custom.
Absolutely correct-that off duty Pilot should be sanctioned for his behavior.He needs to be checked out and made to understand his responsibilities.Frankly if i owned the Airline he would be dismissed.
I totally agree with you, mr Cahill. This man, a pilot, have the duty to be a rolemodel for his company. Thank you for showing me this.
I'm using Ethiopian frequently from Scandinavia to southern Africa, i feel safe on Board and the food is even in Economy Class very good. I like this Airline 👍🙂
That pilot really should lose his job. And the crew should have really challenged him and from what I saw they didn’t.
The pilot having to be fired, yes but the cabin crew in the air doesn't have as much safety compared to (non-corrupt) police on the ground.
Last thing any crew wants to cause is escalation during flight so some accept some abuse in exchange for overall safety.
Similarly to why there are cigarrette disposals even on brand-new planes despite cigarretes being banned from use onboard.
Union job. He’s going nowhere.
You didn't see it because Josh has the decency not to post such an exchange online. Imagine how uncomfortable it must be for the crew in uniform, representing their country having a famous TH-camr (who may or may not be filming) sitting right across from a fellow colleague not complying with safety procedures.
Would you want someone to stick a camera in your face and post the footage online if you confronted someone at your job for breaking safety rules and they told you to F off?
As a student at the Ethiopian aviation university ( where they train the pilots) I can guarantee you that this isn't the discipline and ethics our school teaches they probably got rid of him by now
Reminds me of a flight from BKK to LHR. I collapsed at check in from food poisoning. Attended by a doctor and 3 nurses. Had a line inserted and given loads of tablets to get home OK.
😱 You were lucky that you were not denied boarding.
Very disrespectful to his colleagues, his passengers and his company. Its all about him. Hope I never get him on a plane I am on.
Edit: I am a bus driver I would not flaunt the rules the way this guy does.
As a former Purser I would have informed the deadheading CPT about what consequences he’d face by not complying the safety rules. I would have told him that I’m going to speak with the on duty CPT and that we‘ll probably report this incident. When you’re a crewmember you have to be a rolemodel for other passengers by living the safety standards.
It’s called gross professional misconduct which usually results in immediate termination
100% right on your comment regarding that pilots behaviour on that flight.
Never eat butter chicken in Kano. Rest assured Josh, that’s not going to be a hardship for me.
39 years in the airlines. Have never landed when the cabin is not secure. The head flight attendant/purser, should have advised the cockpit crew that the cabin is NOT secure, because of the A..hole seated in 1A. If that involved a go-around, so be it. That would solve things very quickly, and am pretty sure would not be repeated by any deadhead crew again.
I have had food poisoning too many times in too many places. I stay away from salads in 3rd world countries. Been sick in first class cruise ships & 1st world countries. I don't remember ever having a fever with food poisoning. Now carry over the counter medication. Glad you were feeling better at the end of you video!
Welcome to Tanzania Josh. The land of peace, big smiles and hospitality.
I love Tanzania!
Wonderful place
Josh
In future purchase stomach relief medicines when you travel. For someone who travels every week to different countries, your stomach may not react well to foods that are spicy or oily.
This is why I love your channel, not only reviewing the service airlines provide, but also the safety aspect.very important ❤
Josh makes an excellent point. Safety is the foundation of aviation, and adherence to safety instructions is non-negotiable for every passenger, especially for a pilot who serves as a role model and leader in ensuring safety. A pilot disregarding crew instructions raises questions about their professional judgment and respect for protocols.
If they can overlook simple safety measures as a passenger, it naturally begs the question: Are they just as complacent when in command of an aircraft? This behavior undermines the safety culture that airlines work so hard to maintain and could erode passenger trust in the industry.
What message does this send to other passengers or even fellow crew members? Strict compliance with safety procedures should be a shared responsibility, regardless of one’s position or title. This incident isn't just about one person-it reflects on the airline as a whole.
How would you feel flying with an airline if their pilots demonstrated such disregard for safety?
The guy is not an off duty pilot, he is something like a destination ground handling manager. I observed the same attitude with them when flying to Nigeria
Please… you for real ?? I guess he knows how to distinguish a pilot from ground staff .. 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
That pilot could very well end up on an episode of Mentour Pilot one day
Josh...you are absolutely correct about the off duty pilot. I am sure once his superiors see this video, he will be reprimanded. As far as food poisoning, always travel with immodium. That stuff works well. Hope you got over your stomach issue.
Ethiopia has always had a great airline, even back in the '70s with 707s & 720s which had a beautiful livery for that period. Ŵonder if Ethiopia has an aviation heritage to speak of, given its proud aviation history.
Ethiopian Airlines started flying in the fourties. I think after the second world war
How do larger people use the max restrooms? Very carefully. At close to 2 meters, basically I cannot stand up in the front 737 lav. Moving around hunched over kinda sucks.
That said, much more concerning for narrowbody lavs is that almost no airlines have accessible restrooms. While widebodies have been required to have a wheelchair accessible lav for decades, this will only be required in narrowbodies in a few years. This was probably because in the 1980s, narrowbodies were used in shorter flights only. But with the rise of these longer distance planes, it creates a huge problem for people with disabilities.
Its worth noting that both the MAX and A320/321 have options for wheelchair accessible lavs. However, extremely few airlines have optioned this. People in wheelchairs either tend to have to wear diapers or avoid flights with narrowbodies -- which is pretty hard and sometimes you get downgauges. Its a serious accessibility issue, and it is disappointing that airlines have to be forced to accommodate people with disabilities. (Its also disappointing regulators look more than 20 years after the 757s started flying TATL to make this change.
This will change in the next few years. However, it will only apply in a few years and only new builds. Hundreds of maxes, LRs, and even XLRs will run for decades without this.
I just have to crouch and be uncomfortable. People in wheelchairs are holding it or worse.
Food poisoning is one of the worst experiences!
Nice flight review, the inflight service looks decent. The off duty pilot who sat in business class with his seat reclined and window shades shut at landing should be grounded as a punishment for a few months. As an airline crew he should not be told to do this things as he is already aware of the airlines rules and regulation.
Safety precautions are an insult to the pilot flying’s ability don’t ya know
It would have been interesting to see if that pilot would have said anything if one of the passengers decided to also ignore the safety rules
Good to know you were in Kano but just to let you know, there are several posh hotels in Kano that are way better than the one you were in. I’ve flown Ethiopian Airlines a couple of times, fantastic FA always. 👍
I’m usually against filming people in the work place, but this “pilot” deserves everything he gets. His entire demeanour is one of arrogance. Clearly the crew were too afraid to tell him to get his stuff together for landing. This is typical of a person who is entitled and only in their role via nepotism and corruption. Here you go Ethiopian, your entire image ruined thanks to this arrogant individual - is it worth having them? I have flown with people that have these attitudes, they are an even bigger nightmare inside the cockpit. Edit - I see someone saying he isn’t a pilot, it doesn’t matter if he is or isn’t. He is representing the company in his uniform and not arrogantly not complying with the rules.
Pilot should be fired. Definitely not leading by example or demoted to become part of the cabin crew for 6 months to change his mind set.
Hey Josh. Thank you for this video. It's a very nice report.
It is true that the pilot's behavior is something to question. Glad to see that the cabin crew were pleasant on these 2 flights.
I look forward to the rest of your adventures with the long-awaited flight on Air Zimbabwe's 737-200.
By the way, you were so excited to eat some butter chicken in the last episode 🤣Sorry... You're definitely not blessed with food poisoning.
I regularly fly Ethiopian on the BRU-ADD-JNB route. Honestly, I've never had a bad experience with them.
Okay, they are known for last-minute schedule changes and you shouldn't count too much on the type of plane that is initially scheduled. Their application is also pretty rotten. The communication from the airline is also awful; for instance; 3 schedule changes in 24 hours to finally return to the initial schedule and an email announcing my ADD-JNB flight as cancelled when I had just landed at JNB.
On this route, the service offerel by Ethiopian is at the level of European companies like BA or Lufthansa that I used before. But it's true that in terms of security, they are much less strict than other companies I have flown (for example, with Emirates, there is no question of keeping a cushion or a bag on your knees at the time of take-off when you are seated at the emergency exit row).
On the other hand, when it comes to emergency exits, they are much more uncompromising towards the passengers who sit there and expect a lot from them in the event of an incident. Each time, I am asked to read the instructions in the event of an evacuation; something I have never seen elsewhere. These seats should be cheaper given what they ask us to do 😂.
The seats in Cloud 9 are very comfortable on the 787 or A350. I just find the portions quite small in economy. I also avoid fish which at first seems good to me but which tends to upset my intestines a little.
What bothers me is the stopover in Addis which is sometimes a bit chaotic; for example at the controls. Gates B are sometimes overcrowded, which makes the general experience a bit unpleasant. It is good to know that everything is overpriced in this airport. Let's not talk about duty free which is a joke but if you are hungry, the cheapest hamburger at Burger King for example starts at 15 USD. And in the small shops, it is not better; 10 USD for a bottle of water and some chips. They do not like card payments too much and tend to keep the change when you pay in euros or dollars. It's really a shock these prices and these practices, especially when you come from Johannesburg for example.
Thanks for the reminder to buy active charcoal. Sorry, for your butter chicken food poisoning. But great reminder for me that I used up all my supplies in my kit. Active charcoal has saved me on more than one trip to India.🇮🇳
I could be wrong, but I think the guy is an engineer, not a pilot. I worked for BA, we often carried engineers with us within Africa on our shuttle flights, they were needed if there wasn’t a licensed engineer for the aircraft type at a particular airport, one of the exceptions were stations that had KLM engineers, they operated the same aircraft type as we did at the time.
You are not right .Tahir guest palace is a low budget hotel in Kano. And no way near international best standards. Bristol Hotel is a 5 start hotel based in Kano and is the best. Check it out next time
Re the crew member refusing to adhere to regulations, I Experienced the same situation on a Singapore Airlines flight between SIN & KUL, it was a passenger but in a lay flat seat next to me on a 737- 800 MAX. The seat in full flat mode during decent landing and taxi to the gate. While the passenger wasn't crew!! the Singapore crew did nothing and totally ignored the situation, while i have 2 flights still booked and payed for with SQ they will be my last ever; based on the the lack of response from the airline in relation to this incident.
Probably he was just fired and didn’t give a shit about anything
He has heard these flight instructions hundreds of times and has forgotten the reason for these actions
Those little gesture really reflect the pilots attitude towards safety of pessegers..
We can't expect much intelligence from the pilot. I wouldn't fly that airline.
You're the best TH-camr ever Josh! Why I am not studying, you're videos are my treats during breaks. Thank you for bringing such great videos. X
I agree with you about the pilot but if you where unwell and had a fever maybe you should have seen a nurse/doctor before getting on the plane with other passengers as it might been other than the butter chicken sorry I am saying this because anyone who is unwell should be checked before they go into an enclosed place with other people
Ah well...I once got food poisoned at a restaurant in my home town, then started to feel the symptoms as I waited for a flight in the airport, after security... What to do then? Suddenly felt the need to go to the restroom QUICK, threw up etc., and thought well, it's too late to turn around (bag checked in and everything), I have to take the flight. Thankfully it was just a short hop from Copenhagen to Riga, but then I lay knocked-out in my hotel room for 24 hours 😵💫
good on you for mentioning the tragic disaster that occurred due to mcas
Loved the video thanks for your bravery uncovering such shocking stories in the face of intimidation and threats in many cases
15:32 I was skeptical when you said that place had the best butter chicken you've ever had. But food is tricky to get right. Just bad luck.
Would like to see you do a review on Kenya Airways too, The pride of Africa.
Enjoyed the video:) Common misconception, but although by far the largest city in Tanzania, Dodoma is the country's official capital. Has been since 1996.
I really felt for you there.. Going from "They have the best buttered chicken i´ve ever had!" to "Don´t ever eat buttered chicken at the tahir palace in bloody Kano" really made me smile😄, Sorry man...
So nice to see you going to Dar, I just left from there in friday.
Kano is known for itsbl cholera disease outburst. Glad you are still alive
I recently flew with them in 4 flights (6 take offs and landings), and I'd think that they're one of the stricter airlines in security.
Their B737 Max isn't great... As a tall guy, I slightly suffered. But their B787s tho, they're great! Better pitch than most airlines.
Overall, they're even better than some airlines outside of Africa
I do hope the airline hears about this. Arrogance has no place in society, let alone flying 300 people at 40,000 feet at 500mph. PILOT: YOU ARE A DISGRACE. Good call out Josh. Legend of the skies.
I wonder why josh you mever travel to Sudan before a beautiful country with great history unfortunate its in problems but you still have a chance to visit port sudan try tarco airlines or badr and see the pride of the red ssa
6:20 On airport runways there is always the letter "N". In the aviation industry the planes take off in North direction of the airport
Even if that direction is going towards a mountain they still take off in that direction and then start turning onto the actual flight direction. They also have specific points on their airport map similar to road names when you are driving. Except that those points are gps points that serve are their "air road". Thats why planes don't hit one another in the air everyday even when it's clouds
Ethiopian Airlines is the epitome of resting on its laurels. It has become complacent after achieving the status of Africa’s biggest and best airline. Its standards have declined in every aspect of the aviation experience. Josh, you have done an exceptional job exposing how Ethiopian Airlines is heading in the wrong direction. This is the kind of critique we should expect from other aviation travel channels but rarely receive. Greetings all the way from Mogadishu, Somalia 🇸🇴.
Josh, you may want to modify the thumbnail and title to "Off Duty Pilot".
When I first looked at the video title, got me thinking about my upcoming trip in February 2025 on Ethiopian Airlines from JFK - ADD-DEL and flashed the Max 737 accident thru my brain
Thank GOD, it turns out to be theeoff duty pilot, but I would strongly say that "It's Crew and then Operating Pilot's responsibility" that all the passengers comply to the Safety Protocol of the Airline
Another excellent vid! Thanks for bringing attention to the issue of flight safety.
Another superb video, thank you. I like the way you see the details and especially the poor attitude of the off-duty captain. Well done despite a butter chicken that wasn't quite so good!
Hopefully the beef between Sam and Josh thins out and they can work together. Great video josh!
That is the pilot who had gone asleep another day when flying
South African were the top African airline but that was many years ago, I've only heard good things about Ethiopian though and your video confirms it, that looked alright.
Hello, Josh. You have good content. I saw a video from you about KQ (Kenya Airways) flight to Paris and got curious about what you were saying about my country's airline. After viewing it and a few others I was convinced that your channel is about facts from the consumer side of this service. Of course, I also check the supplier side i.e other TH-camrs and National Geographic. These are the people who tell us how this industry operates from the supplier side. But yours is unique because it tells us about what we should expect when we board those planes. I have been a user of this service before and therefore I do understand what you are telling us.
And, Yes, Keep it up. Airline managers should not be annoyed for being asked to account for their actions. That's the only way we can make things better for everyone. Sorry for what you went through with some airlines.
You know what's worse than not putting up your seat back, buckling in or leaving out personal items during an emergency landing? Having a pet in the cabin during one yet that's fine by the FAA.
Any time you are in public and wearing a company uniform, regardless if you are on the clock, you are representing your employer. Doesn't matter if you are shopping in a grocery store, or flying on a plane. I've had jobs where you were not allowed to wear your uniform outside of work for this reason.
This pilot won’t lose his job because they’re so short pilots
at least he should get written up or promotion to captain delayed.
Wow, you were good not to comment on the spot. I would have told him what I think… let us know if ET contacted you!
Hi Josh , As a former CSD, this kind of behaviour is absolutely unacceptable, unprofessional, and unsafe. Being in an airline uniform in a leading position, he should be setting an example in case of any emergency. Sometimes, he might be needed to take the lead in case something happened to his partner in the flight deck. The key word for this piolt : ( to be grounded minimum for 3 months + intensive safety training).And I hope the crew supervisor had reported this incident for further discipline.
Thank you Cahill, Danke, for a great Video as always :) Did you report the pilot to his airlines?
Hope you r belly is ok ;)
I hope you're feeling much better Josh.
Looking forward to seeing if there is a response from Ethiopian Airlines.
They're probably on a call to Sam Chui right now.
@@C.viscione you can always count on Sam to come through in a pinch, lol
Hello Josh. From your comment on SAA. I am from South africa but i have actually never flown SAA as they are normally more expensive than any of the other airlines but from what i have herd about the airline from my friends is that there are other airlines in this part of the world that give u better value for the money. I personally dout that they will have a comeback and ever be able to rival Ethiopian airlines. Pls come to South africa again and some of uir outher airlines like Lift and Cemair.
I found it unacceptable that the pilot doesn´t follow the safety instructions. Hope the airline will know how to deal with him.
On the other hand, I flew with ET a couple of times, and they always gave me the impression of a highly professional airline.
Most said sentence last 3 videos: Are there still protests in Kano?
I had that happen on a flight to Bali. I'm guessing he was a pilot. Front row of business class, near me. Didn't raise his seat back. Had his legs raised. Kept his laptop open on his lap, using it. Both taking off and landing. Was in his mid 50s maybe. I thought it was rude. 🙄
I bet that Pilot is already fired, I don't think the Ethiopian will take kindly to this video.
Overall the review was positive. Thanks for that 😊😊
Very nice to Indian Bajaj auto at Kano ...Nice video Josh cahil as usual ...The pilot should be dismissed by not adhering to rules
I like the video very much Josh nice work I am surprised how the pilot Is not following the safety rules
Idk what worries me more the pilot or the fact it's a max
A pilot should be a role model
Almost became an Inflight Medical Emergency.... not the best idea to fly with medical conditions. I have had two airlines decline carriage due to passenger unwell, both food poisoning related. I had to help out three IFME over the years.
He'll be back to flying DC3s in the congo shortly. No seatbelts necessary 🤘
Josh, hope you feel better.!
I've had food poisoning many times travelling in SE Asia. Sympathies to you!
When I got food poisoning (by your friends at QR) it was at both ends every 20 min, so well done holding it 🙂
Josh, trust Ethiopian Airlines top operations management has seen your video by now and taken necessary actions against this hot headed irresponsible pilot who is a great risk for the passengers and for the airlines. Great, for having presented such a video which is an eye opener for the airlines, apart from your regular airline review vlogs.👍