Well here’s something you don’t see every day, which makes for quite a story…
In this post:
Magnicharters pilot “hijacks” plane at Mexico City Airport
This incident happened at around 3PM on Friday, December 19, 2025, and involves Magnicharters flight 780, which was scheduled to operate from Mexico City (MEX) to Cancun (CUN).
For context, Magnicharters is a domestic Mexican holiday carrier that operates a fleet of a handful of Boeing 737-300s. The airline has reportedly had financial issues for quite some time, and that became especially apparent to passengers on a flight yesterday. While authorities are investigating exactly what happened, let me share what eyewitnesses have reported.
After all passengers had boarded, and shortly before the plane was scheduled to depart, the captain informed passengers that (translated) “this plane isn’t leaving until they pay us what they owe us.” The airline reportedly hadn’t paid pilots what they were due for five months — it’s not clear if that refers to the entire salary, or what. He claimed he even had to buy his own navigational charts, because the airline wasn’t providing those for pilots.
The pilot continued by explaining that he has three children, and said “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.”
So, what prompted his frustration on this particular flight? Some reports suggest that he had just learned that he was being dismissed by the airline, so that’s why he took action this time. However, that’s not confirmed, so I can’t say with certainty if that’s accurate.
Eventually authorities boarded the aircraft, forced the cockpit door open, and arrested the pilot. The passengers were then also removed from the aircraft.
Authorities are now investigating what happened with this incident. It’s not the first time that Magnicharters has been in the news for financial issues or questionable labor practices.
This isn’t the way to address frustration with your employer
If the situation at Magnicharters is as the pilot describes, then I can certainly understand why he was so frustrated, and felt like he had no reasonable way to get the company to do the right thing. I imagine he had no intent to harm any passengers (or himself), but was just trying to make a point.
Still, stuff like this is taken seriously, and of course this shows bad judgment. Assuming he had a good record, he should have no issues finding a job as a pilot somewhere else. However, a move like this puts your career in jeopardy, since I can’t imagine authorities will view this positively.
While more extreme, I can’t help but be reminded of the 2014 incident involving Ethiopian Airlines flight ET702. An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 767 was scheduled to fly from Ethiopia to Europe. While the plane was over Sudan, the captain used the bathroom, and the first officer locked the cockpit door.
He squawked 7500, which is the international code for a hijacking. The plane eventually diverted to Geneva. While authorities on the ground knew there was a hijacking, what they didn’t know is that it was actually the pilot who had hijacked the plane, and not a passenger.
He was just looking to escape Ethiopia, and was seeking asylum. I would consider that to be much more serious, since it actually happened inflight, rather than on the ground.
Bottom line
A Magnicharters Boeing 737 captain was supposed to operate a flight from Mexico City to Cancun. However, he was frustrated over alleged unpaid wages, so he decided to lock himself in the cockpit and demand pay, or else he wouldn’t operate the flight.
Authorities ultimately boarded the aircraft and removed him, and passengers were deplaned as well. If the facts are as the pilot presented, I see why he would be frustrated. However, this isn’t the way to go about expressing that frustration, and I suspect this incident is going to make his life much more difficult…
What do you make of this incident at Mexico City Airport?
Talk about victim blaming.
An employee wasn't paid for five months decides to refuse to work for free and to make a scene and ensure the public know what is happening rather than quietly step aside to let the company continue abusing their employees?
It isn't like he threatened anybody.
I would consider it a public service, as I wouldn't want to fly an airline that can't afford to pay their employees. What else are they not paying for?
Could we please not let employers get away with nonsense like this. We’re not slaves or indentured servants. Folks don’t work for free. Sure, this may not be the best way to handle it, but, sheesh, this feels more like a failure by the company, not the individual. And if companies aren’t gonna handle this better, then, we need better regulations and more rigorous enforcement to not let things get this out of hand. Workers and consumers deserve better protections.
Someone has been reading Mark Twain, to get ideas from yesteryear, yes Ben?
It would have been nearly as effective if the captain had made the announcement and then immediately exited the aircraft. There would have been no cause for arrest and the flight would still have been canceled. Apparently this guy didn't think through his actions and consequences. Maybe he thought the airline was gonna bring him a case full of cash. It was a very poorly planned stunt.
It's so on-brand for a trust-fund millionaire like Ben to be mocking a middle-class person who just wants to get a leg up.
@ Reba -- I'm a "trust-fund millionaire?" And I'm mocking this pilot?! If so, please tell me where, specifically, I did that...
I would like to take a different perspective for discussion.
Yeah, it is a guerilla stunt but some things need to be made publicly.
If you are not paid for month, I assume many people would be ok to lay down work at any time or not.
The airline is putting pressure on the pilot, the pilot pressures the airline. Just fair or not?
At no time were passengers at risk. Undoubtedly really bad for...
I would like to take a different perspective for discussion.
Yeah, it is a guerilla stunt but some things need to be made publicly.
If you are not paid for month, I assume many people would be ok to lay down work at any time or not.
The airline is putting pressure on the pilot, the pilot pressures the airline. Just fair or not?
At no time were passengers at risk. Undoubtedly really bad for passengers but I would have different fears and try to leave the aircraft given the risk of improper
maintenance.
And if you take the legal way, it might take ages, the company goes bankrupt and nothing is left. So definitely the right thing to create pressure on your employer to get what you are supposed to. I mean if you are already dismissed almost nothing to pressure is left.
> the risk of improper maintenance
Yup, if they haven't been paying the pilots for 5 months, what else have they not been paying? ...
I guess that means he can forget about his Xmas bonus.
if the captain takes up this matter to labor commissioner
and explain the whole background and the alleged management's
speculative action to dismiss him from service, the commissioner
will support him in that gravity of situation he was, and the h r officials will be pulled up and the commissioner may issue orders
to management to restore the pilot in his job with back wages
i support the captain he spent money for buying official materials
If true, it was criminally irresponsible of HR/the company to inform such an employee of imminent dismissal before a passenger flight.
If true, shoot (Ok, dismiss/discipline) the HR/company personnel responsible for the criminal incompetence.
Compensate the aggrieved employee, the rest of the crew and passengers for the incompetence of those company employees responsible.
Honestly speaking, he should never be in a commercial cockpit again.
Sadly this furthers the mental health stigma involving pilots; but on a micro level, this person shouldn't be entrusted to fly lives/possessions. Ever.
I honestly don't know the solution to this issue on a macro level though.
The real “Solution to this issue” is that it is a “Synn” to attempt to be judge and jury, when one knows so little about this situation, yes?
Just give yourself a macaroon and sit in the corner.
Alan, as you are so inept, rude and lazy in so much that you failed to address your comment to anyone, I will take it upon myself to respond to your post.
Such childish behaviour is indicative of one who has little knowledge of life, or, how to project oneself succinctly. Do enrol yourself in some suitable extracurricular educational activities, which will teach you how to address your meagre mutterings correctly, yes?
Was not meant for you. Got you by mistake. But give yourself a macaroon yourself. So, you learned to string words together. But it still is B. S. Merry Christmas.
Thank you Alan, for confirming that your cage was firmly rattled old bean.
One is not surprised that you do not understand real written English, so few do who post herein, yes?
I'm kind of glad he did this versus keep it quietly boiling inside and do something much worse....
Eric, luckily most of the world is not like the demented homicidal US.
Good point, Larry!
I don't want to fly on any country's airline either that, within the last 30 years, has had a pilot who either did intentionally crash or is intentionally suspected of crashing their plane on a commercial flight.
*(checks notes for US incidents)
India - Air India 181, June 2025
China - China Eastern Airlines 5735, March 2022
Germany - Germanwings 9525, March 2015
Malaysia - Malaysia Airlines 370, March...
Good point, Larry!
I don't want to fly on any country's airline either that, within the last 30 years, has had a pilot who either did intentionally crash or is intentionally suspected of crashing their plane on a commercial flight.
*(checks notes for US incidents)
India - Air India 181, June 2025
China - China Eastern Airlines 5735, March 2022
Germany - Germanwings 9525, March 2015
Malaysia - Malaysia Airlines 370, March 2014
Mozambique - LAN Mozambique Airlines 470, November 2013
Egypt - Egypt Air 990, October 1999
Indonesia - Silk Air 185, December 1997
*(still looking for US commercial pilots who intentionally crash planes)
It just so happens that Germanwings was not a US registered airline
Nor is Egyptair
etc etc etc
WTF are you even talk about? of course if you weren't a leftist you would know basic math and be able to compare the homicide rates of México (or even worse Venezuela) vs the US. But that requires thinking by your own first, so nevermind.
I'm expecting a trip review of magnacharters ASAP;-)
General question: if a Captain is fired/dismissed, shouldn’t he/she also be grounded (released) immediately? Loosing a job can be somewhat stressful.
Well, this is amongst the worst ideas ever.
At least they weren't in the air when he pulled this stupid stunt.