'We firmly denounce violence in all forms,' says airline after comments on Israel, Palestine
Air Canada says it has taken one of its pilots “out of service” after it became aware of “unacceptable posts” he made.
The individual involved is apparently a pilot named Mostafa Ezzo.
“We are aware of the unacceptable posts made by an Air Canada pilot. We are taking this matter very seriously, and he was taken out of service on Mon, Oct. 9. We firmly denounce violence in all forms,” Air Canada said on X (formerly Twitter).
"This means he has been removed from flying,” the airline told CTV News.
We are aware of the unacceptable posts made by an Air Canada pilot. We are taking this matter very seriously, and he was taken out of service on Mon, Oct. 9. We firmly denounce violence in all forms.
— Air Canada (@AirCanada) October 10, 2023
Just recently, a woman said to be a recruiter was fired from her job after a viral video captured her yelling angrily at a group of German tourists.
The group StopAntiSemitism.org shared Instagram screenshots of Ezzo while wearing his pilot uniform, with one showing him holding a sign at a demonstration in Montreal that said, "Isr*el Hitler is proud of you."
Ezzo — who piloted an Air Canada-branded B787 plane out of Montreal — also called Israel a “terrorist state” in a series of Instagram posts, including one that said, “F–k you Israel. Burn in hell,” according to the New York Post.
Ezzo has now deleted his LinkedIn and other social accounts.
Overall, 86 per cent of Canadian employers say they would fire an employee based on inappropriate posts, found an earlier survey.
The union representing Air Canada pilots, the Air Line Pilots Association, said in a statement that it was aware of the situation and "incredibly saddened by the tragedies in the Middle East. We condemn all violence and hatred, and any promotion thereof,” according to CTV News.
"It is our firm expectation that all of our members abide by this principle and our professional code of ethics."