Pilot in Mexico City refuses to take off over unpaid wages: reports

MEXICO CITY – A pilot refused to take off and barricaded himself in the cockpit of a plane in Mexico City on Dec 19, staging what he said was a protest over unpaid wages, local media reported.

“This plane isn’t leaving until they pay us what they owe us,” the pilot told dozens of passengers onboard the commercial flight, according to a video cited by local media, including Reforma newspaper.

AFP was not able to independently verify the video, which spread on social media.

The pilot said he was owed five months’ salary and travel expenses by his employer.

“I feel bad for you, because you don’t deserve this. I’ve been with the airline for almost three years, and I’ve never failed to complete a flight,” he told passengers in the video, adding that he was the father of three children.

Officials at Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport posted on X that civil aviation authorities were investigating an “incident” at around 3pm local time (5am Singapore time) on a scheduled flight to the Caribbean resort city Cancun in south-eastern Mexico.

According to Mexican media reports, the captain was detained, while the passengers were evacuated. AFP