Flight instructor featured prominently in CNN's coverage fired for 'shaming Canadians'

The Canadian flight simulation instructor featured prominently in CNN's blanket coverage of missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 has been fired. The instructor's employer, uFly, said that Mitchell Casado's outfits of frumpy plaid shirts and drab jeans "shamed Canadians," and added that he was regularly tardy to work.

CNN has regularly aired coverage featuring Casado and reporter Martin Savidge since the jetliner went missing more than a month ago. The pair have been holed in the fake cockpit at the company's Toronto office to show viewers what the inside of a Boeing 777 looks like. Casado's constant appearances made him a minor celebrity on the internet, but his 15 minutes of fame ran out Wednesday, when he didn't show up to work when customers had the simulator booked, reports CBC News.

"This is not the first time. He's been warned before," explained uFly owner Claudio Teixeira. He lashed out at Casado's outfits saying "he was dressing like he was 15 years old."

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Teixeira said he fired Mitchell Casado on Wednesday in part for refusing to dress professionally and for making Canadians "look very bad all over the world." He added, "People were complaining that it wasn't professional at all... If you go to any plane you don't see them in shorts and sandals."

Casado declined comment to the AP. --Jordan Valinsky