Much like a road-tripping parent who’s tired of their kids’ backseat antics, a Southwest pilot threatened to turn his plane around and end everyone’s trip if a passenger didn’t stop using AirDrop to send nude photographs to other passengers.
The incident was captured on video by passenger Teighlor Marsalis, who shared the video to TikTok.
“So you folks, whatever that AirDrop thing is, quit sending naked pictures, and let’s get yourself to Cabo,” ordered the pilot.
CNN reports the scolding went down on a flight from Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport that was destined for Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The flight hadn’t left the ground.
Marsalis told the outlet that she and some friends had just boarded the plane when they received a notification of an anonymous file being shared via AirDrop.
While she declined the photo, a couple of women accepted it and showed her the picture.
“It was a nude man that had AirDropped himself to everyone,” she said.
AirDrop is a feature on Apple devices which allows users to send digital files to other Apple products in close range without the use of Wi-Fi or data. The sender does not need specific contact information for recipients, though users can choose to restrict AirDrops from unknown senders.
In response to the viral video, Southwest Airlines told the New York Post, “The safety, security and wellbeing of Customers and Employees is the Southwest Team’s highest priority at all times. When made aware of a potential problem, our employees address issues to support the comfort of those travelling with us.”
The plane eventually departed safely to Cabo San Lucas.
Unfortunately, it’s not the first time an incident like this has occurred. There have been multiple reports in recent years of airline passengers AirDropping sexually explicit or threatening images to fellow passengers.
In 2020, an investigation was launched after a Surrey, B.C. woman was the recipient of a violent and sexually explicit image that was AirDropped to her while travelling on a local bus.