Faulted Diabase

1 June 2026

Sunwing Airlines has fired one of its pilots after he placed a catering order that included fried chicken and watermelon, then sent it to a Black supervisor. The story has sparked conversations about workplace conduct, racial stereotypes, and how airlines handle internal discrimination complaints.

Here's what you need to know about the incident and what happened next.

What happened on the flight

The incident took place on a Sunwing flight returning from Jamaica. According to reports, the pilot placed a catering request that listed fried chicken and watermelon, two foods long associated with racist stereotypes targeting Black people in North America. The order was then forwarded to a Black supervisor at the airline.

The supervisor flagged the order, and Sunwing launched an internal review. The airline confirmed the pilot is no longer employed with the company.