вЂњNonetheless, Southwest did investigate the matter and as a result, ceased paying Mr. Southwest spokesperson Chris Mainz said in a statement that the airline вЂњdoes not tolerate behavior of this nature and will take prompt action if such conduct is substantiated.вЂќ Southwest only learned of HaakвЂ™s behavior after he voluntarily left the airline, according to Mainz. 31, 2020, three weeks after the incident that led to the criminal charge. His last flight for the Dallas-based airline was on Aug. Haak, a resident of Longwood, Florida, was a Southwest Airlines pilot for 27 years until his retirement. The judge wasnвЂ™t bound by that recommendation. He was charged in Maryland because it was one of the states that the aircraft passed over that day.ДЇederal prosecutors agreed to recommend a sentence of probation without requiring Haak to register as a sex offender. Haak was charged in April with intentionally committing a lewd, indecent or obscene act in a public place, a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of 90 days in jail. вЂњShe had a right not to be subjected to this kind of behavior, regardless of what may have motivated it or prompted it,вЂќ the prosecutor said. вЂњThis is not the kind of aberrant behavior that anyone should accept,вЂќ the prosecutor added.Д¬unningham said the first officer вЂњunfortunately suffered some consequencesвЂќ as a result of the incident that Haak вЂњdidnвЂ™t have anything to do with,вЂќ but he didnвЂ™t elaborate. Haak вЂњhad a duty to comport himself in a much more responsible manner,вЂќ Assistant U.S. The judge told Haak that his actions had a traumatic effect on the co-pilot and could have impacted the safety of passengers and other co-workers. The first officer submitted a statement to the court but didnвЂ™t speak during FridayвЂ™s hearing. вЂњAs the plane continued its flight, Haak further engaged in inappropriate conduct in the cockpit, as the first officer continued to perform her duties as an assigned aircrew member,вЂќ the statement says. After the plane reached its cruising altitude, Haak got out of the pilotвЂ™s seat, вЂњdisrobedвЂќ and began watching pornographic material on a laptop computer in the cockpit, prosecutors said. I never imagined it would turn into this in a thousand years,вЂќ Haak said during a remote hearing.ДЇederal prosecutors said in a news release that Haak had never met the first officer before that flight bound for Orlando on Aug. вЂњIt started as a consensual prank between me and the other pilot.

Mark Coulson sentenced him to one year of unsupervised probation and a $5,000 fine. Michael Haak, 60, apologized and expressed remorse for his actions before U.S. > A retired Southwest Airlines pilot was sentenced to probation Friday after pleading guilty to exposing his genitals to a female first officer and watching pornography on a laptop during a flight from Philadelphia to Florida last year, an incident that he said started as a вЂњconsensual prankвЂќ with the co-pilot. We invite you to join the discussion on Facebook and Twitter.COLLEGE PARK, MD.

The Hill has removed its comment section, as there are many other forums for readers to participate in the conversation. Haak any benefits he was entitled to receive as a result of his separation fromвЂќ the airline, a company spokesman said. Southwest Airlines told The Hill that Haak retired before they were notified of the incident. вЂњI never imagined it would turn into this in a thousand years,вЂќВ he continued. Haak apologized for his actions, saying it вЂњstarted as a consensual prankвЂќ between him and his co-pilot.

вЂњThis is not the kind of aberrant behavior that anyone should accept,вЂќ he added.

Attorney Michael Cunningham saying Haak had вЂњa duty to comport himself in a much more responsible manner.вЂќ Mark Coulson to unsupervised probation and a $5,000 fine.Дuring the sentencing, prosecutors and the judge condemned Haak for his behavior, withВ Assistant U.S. Haak pleaded guilty to the accusations brought against him after being charged in April with intentionally committing a lewd, indecent or obscene act in a public place. He removed himself from the pilotвЂ™s seat after the plane reached its cruising altitude and вЂњdisrobed,вЂќ prosecutors alleged. Michael Haak pleaded guilty to exposing his genitalsВ to a female co-worker and watching pornography on a laptop during aВ flight from Philadelphia to Florida last year, The Associated Press reported. A retired Southwest Airlines pilot was sentenced to probation Friday over a 2020 incident during which he engaged in inappropriate behavior, including exposing himself.

Southwest airlines pilot michael haak