“Diverse But Incompetent”: Comedian Rob Schneider Pens Open Letter Calling Out ‘Drag Queen’ CEO Of United Airlines

DEI started to (finally) make its way into the public’s crosshairs following the embarrassing testimony of several Ivy League college professors about the events in Israel on October 7th. 

The discussion was ratcheted up a notch after a door from an Alaska Airlines plane detached mid-air, leading many to raise questions about whether or not DEI hiring standards at Boeing were negatively affecting the company’s output. 

Even more recently, United’s CEO Scott Kirby was accused of being a drag queen and additional questions were raised about how the airline prioritizes safety for its passengers and employees. 

This is Scott Kirby, the CEO of @united. He’s a drag queen and has been incorporating drag into @united.

This video should tell you everything you need to know. pic.twitter.com/RR5nWwC5OR

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 18, 2024

One person not waiting around for answers from the airline is actor and (former) United 1K frequent flyer Rob Schneider, who took to X last week to send a message to Kirby that he would no longer be flying United. 

“Dear Scott Kirby CEO @UnitedAirlines and Drag Queen practitioner, I regret to inform you that I will no longer allow my family to fly on your airline as you have clearly placed ‘diversity’ of pilot hiring above safety of passengers and crew,” Schneider wrote.

He continued: “As evidenced by the near aviation catastrophe of UA Boeing 777 flight 1722 from Maui to San Francisco Dec 18th 2023, where your diverse but incompetent flight crew didn’t know which flaps were causing its near disastrous dissent, coming within 750 feet of killing every one aboard your United Airline.”

Schneider also claimed that many United employees supported his criticism: “I cannot tell you how many @UnitedAirlines employees have personally thanked me for my valid criticism of your careless and life threatening leadership. I look forward to your swift dismissal by UA’s board of directors before your inane actions cause the deaths of hundreds of men, women and children. After your inevitable firing you can get back to your true passion, your Drag Queen performances.”

Dear Scott Kirby CEO @UnitedAirlines and Drag Queen practitioner,
I regret to inform you that I will no longer allow my family to fly on your airline as you have clearly placed “diversity” of pilot hiring above safety of passengers and crew. As evidenced by the near aviation…

— Rob Schneider (@RobSchneider) January 22, 2024

Aviation expert and former Federal Aviation Administration safety team representative Kyle Bailey told Fox News this week: “Diversity really has nothing to do with safe travel.”

Meanwhile the FAA’s own DEI hiring plan states: “diversity is integral to achieving FAA’s mission of ensuring safe and efficient travel across our nation and beyond.” 

The Department of Transportation responded: “Safety is the FAA’s top priority and drives all decisions. The diversity and inclusion language that is being cited here is the exact same today as it was under the Trump Administration and previous administrations before that.”

It continued: “Like many large employers, the agency proactively seeks qualified candidates from as many sources as possible, all of whom must meet rigorous qualifications that, of course, will vary by position. The FAA employs tens of thousands of people for a wide range of positions, from administrative roles to oversight and execution of critical safety functions.”