Well, here’s an occurrence you don’t encounter every day, leading to quite the narrative…
Magnicharters pilot “takes control” of plane at Mexico City Airport
This event transpired around 3PM on Friday, December 19, 2025, involving Magnicharters flight 780, which was meant to travel from Mexico City (MEX) to Cancun (CUN).
To provide some background, Magnicharters is a domestic Mexican vacation airline operating a small fleet of Boeing 737-300s. The airline has been reported to have financial difficulties for a significant period, which became notably clear to passengers on a flight yesterday. While authorities are looking into the specifics of the situation, I will share what witnesses have conveyed.
After all passengers had boarded, and just prior to the plane’s scheduled departure, the captain addressed the passengers stating (translated) “this plane will not depart until they compensate us what they owe.” It is reported that the airline had not compensated pilots for their salaries for five months — it remains unclear if this pertains to the full salary or another payment. He even mentioned that he had to purchase his own navigational charts, as the airline would not provide those for pilots.
The pilot went on to express that he has three children, stating “I feel sorry for you since you don’t deserve this, I’ve been with the company for nearly three years, and I have never failed to complete a flight.”
So, what triggered his dissatisfaction in this instance? Some reports indicate that he had recently learned of his termination from the airline, prompting his reaction this time. However, this remains unverified, so I cannot confirm its accuracy.
Eventually, authorities boarded the aircraft, forced the cockpit door open, and apprehended the pilot. Passengers were subsequently removed from the aircraft.
Authorities are currently investigating this incident, which is not the first occasion Magnicharters has made headlines for financial challenges or dubious labor practices.
Clearly this isn’t ideal, though I understand the pilot’s perspective
If the situation at Magnicharters is as the pilot relays, then I can indeed grasp why he felt extraordinarily frustrated, seeing no viable way to compel the company to act justly. I assume he had no intention of harming any passengers (or himself), but was merely trying to emphasize a point.
Nevertheless, actions like this are taken seriously, and inherently reflect poor judgment. Assuming he had a solid track record, he should encounter no difficulties securing a pilot position elsewhere. However, such a maneuver undeniably endangers one’s career, as I cannot picture authorities interpreting this in a favorable light.
While this is more extreme, I am reminded of the 2014 instance with Ethiopian Airlines flight ET702. An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 767 was chartered to fly from Addis Ababa to Rome. While the aircraft was flying over Sudan, the captain stepped away to use the restroom, and the first officer secured the cockpit door.
He squawked 7500, which is the international code indicating a hijacking. The plane ultimately rerouted to Geneva. Although ground authorities were aware of a hijacking, they were unaware that it was, in fact, the pilot who had seized control of the aircraft, rather than a passenger.
He was merely seeking to escape Ethiopia and was requesting asylum. I would classify that as significantly more severe, as it occurred in-flight, rather than while grounded.
Conclusion
A Magnicharters Boeing 737 captain was tasked with flying from Mexico City to Cancun. However, he became upset over purported unpaid wages, prompting him to lock himself in the cockpit and demand payment, or he would refuse to fly the aircraft.
Authorities eventually boarded the plane and removed him, and passengers were also disembarked. If the details are as the pilot described, I certainly empathize with him regarding the pay he was owed. Simultaneously, his response was not the appropriate course of action.
What are your thoughts on this incident at Mexico City Airport?