In a recent revelation, tech mogul Elon Musk has voiced his concerns over the potential dangers of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, particularly in the airline industry.
Musk's comments come in the wake of alarming reports of near-collisions on airport tarmacs and a recent incident involving an Alaska Airlines flight where a panel detached from a Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft mid-flight, leading to cabin depressurization and necessitating an emergency landing.
"People will die due to DEI," Musk warned during an appearance on X. "Do you want to fly in an airplane where they prioritized DEI hiring over your safety? That is actually happening."
Musk's remarks were in response to a report suggesting that Boeing, a leading aircraft manufacturer, had started prioritizing DEI in its hiring practices in 2022. According to Boeing's SEC filings, the company modified its annual compensation plan at the beginning of 2022. Previously, the plan incentivized CEOs and executives to increase shareholder profit while prioritizing safety. However, the revised plan rewards them for achieving DEI targets.
Musk further elaborated on his views during an episode of The Matt Walsh Show on X, which discussed the potential risks of government diversity initiatives in the airline industry. "Merit should be the only reason for hiring, especially for jobs where your familys lives are at stake," Musk asserted.
Recent data has shown a disturbing increase in near-collisions at airports in the United States. A report revealed that there were 19 separate instances of near-collisions during the first ten months of 2023, the highest number since 2016. This comes as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) continues to grapple with hiring more air traffic controllers.
Data from the FAA, reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, indicates that in many of these near-collision instances, an aircraft or vehicle was in an area it was not supposed to be in, forcing others to take swift action to avoid an accident. Air traffic controllers have reported being stretched to their limits, working 10-hour shifts, six days a week, on irregular schedules due to an ongoing staffing crisis within the airline industry.
In July alone, the FAA reported 46 "close calls" between commercial airlines. The recent incident involving Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, which was forced to make an emergency landing after a panel blew off the side of the two-month-old Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft, has further underscored these concerns. Following the incident, Boeing announced that all Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft have been grounded.
Brandon Straka, founder of Walk Away, has also highlighted the issues with diversity hiring in the airline industry. In a post on X, Straka wrote, "To make matters worse, articles about the DEI hiring in the airline industry indicate that they're struggling to find enough pilots and to diversify." He further added, "It's not exactly like there's such an overwhelming number of women and racial minorities training that we get to pick the best of the best. It's more like: you check the boxes, you're in."
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