New Jersey's major air carrier causing some turbulence

If you live in the most densely populated part of the state of New Jersey, you probably fly out of Newark's Liberty International Airport. More than likely, you'll fly on United for many of your trips, since Newark is a major hub for the airline.

Last week, United made headlines by announcing that 50% of their pilots hired will be women or minorities. That made more than a few people nervous.

We all want fairness in hiring but we don't want to compromise safety in the process, especially when it comes to going 37,000 feet off the ground. We all want to know that the people behind the controls are the absolute best available.

Well United was quick to respond to any criticism of their new policy. They will still only graduate people who qualify through their academy, they just "want the cockpit to reflect the passengers." No, I want the cockpit to be far smarter and better at flying than anyone on board regardless of what they may look like.

United struck back at the criticism saying, “All the highly qualified candidates we accept into the academy, regardless of race or sex, will have met or exceeded the standards we set for admittance.” They added that they are partnering with consumer banking outfit Sallie Mae to offer private student loans to ensure that no highly qualified, highly motivated eligible applicants will be turned down for an opportunity solely because that can't pay to sign up.

So, they aren't going to sacrifice safety for their goals, they just may turn down other applicants because of their gender and race. Didn't we spend a few generations telling people not to make judgements on that basis and pass several laws saying that was not only immoral but illegal? Makes no difference in the "age of wokeness," corporate America is stepping all over themselves in order to prove just how "woke" they are. So, just shut up and keep your mask on or we'll throw your ass off this flight! Now, sit back and enjoy your trip.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy. Any opinions expressed are Dennis's own.