Lifestyle Travel Southwest Airlines Launches Investigation After Pilot Allegedly Used Anti-Biden Language on Flight Southwest said it "does not condone Employees sharing their personal political opinions while on the job serving our Customers" By Nicholas Rice Nicholas Rice Instagram Twitter Nicholas Rice is an Associate Editor for PEOPLE Magazine. He began working with the brand as an Editorial Intern in early 2020, before later transitioning to a freelance role, and then staff positions soon after. Nicholas writes and edits anywhere between 7 to 9 stories per day on average for PEOPLE, spanning across each vertical the brand covers. Nicholas has previous work experience with Billboard, POPSUGAR, Bustle and Elite Daily. When not working, Nicholas can be found playing with his 5 dogs, listening to pop music or eating mozzarella sticks. People Editorial Guidelines Published on November 1, 2021 10:02 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty; Drew Angerer/Getty Southwest Airlines is launching an internal investigation after one of its pilots allegedly used an anti-Biden statement during a recent flight. Last week, the pilot — who has not been identified — reportedly uttered the phrase "Let's Go Brandon" during his greetings on a flight from Houston, Texas, to Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Associated Press reported. The now-viral phrase gained traction in October when NASCAR driver Brandon Brown took part in a post-race interview with a reporter, who thought the crowd behind them was shouting "Let's go Brandon," when they were actually screaming "F--- Joe Biden." A reporter from the AP was on board the flight when the alleged incident took place, and the outlet said the use of the phrase reportedly drew "audible gasps from some passengers." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty GOP Lawmaker Wears 'Let's Go Brandon' Mask on House Floor in Barely Veiled Swipe at President Biden In a statement shared on social media Sunday, Southwest Airlines wrote that the company "takes pride in providing a welcoming, comfortable, safe and respectful environment for the millions of Customers who fly with us each year." The major carrier stressed that it "does not condone Employees sharing their personal political opinions while on the job serving our Customers," also noting that "one Employee's individual perspective should not be interpreted as the viewpoint of Southwest and its collective 54,000 Employees." "Southwest is conducting an internal investigation into the recently reported event and will address the situation directly with any Employee involved while continuing to remind all Employees that public expression of personal opinions while on duty is unacceptable," the statement continued. "Southwest does not tolerate any behavior that encourages divisiveness, as it does not reflect the Southwest Hospitality and inclusiveness for which we are known and strive to provide each day on every flight," the airline added. A Southwest spokesperson told PEOPLE they had no further comment.