A Southwest pilot was cited on allegations of assault after fighting with a flight attendant over masks in a hotel bar

• A Southwest pilot was cited on alleged assault last month following a dispute with a flight attendant.
• The altercation involved a disagreement over masks, according to USA Today.

A Southwest Airlines pilot was cited on alleged assault and battery last month following a dispute with a flight attendant over mask-wearing at a San Jose hotel bar, according to USA Today.

The incident happened during an overnight stay following a flight on Monday, October 18, according to police records reviewed by the outlet.

A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines confirmed to Insider that an off-duty disagreement between crew members occurred, prompting an ongoing internal investigation at the company. One employee is currently on leave pending the internal process, the airline said.

The case has been referred to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office for possible charges and a spokesperson from the office told Insider they are reviewing the incident.

A spokesperson with the San Jose Police Department told USA Today that the altercation involved a disagreement over mask-wearing or masks. The department did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Less than a week after the incident occurred, Southwest sent a memo to all pilots and flight attendants highlighting the importance of civility and following the golden rule, according to USA Today.

"Crossing the line in a heated conversation can be a violation of our guidelines for employees and can even end in loss of job," it reportedly said.

The memo was sent by Southwest's vice president of flight operations, Bob Waltz, and vice president of inflight operations, Sonya Lacore, the outlet reported. The document suggested flight crew conduct a briefing at the start of each trip in order to "set the right tone."

The memo also emphasized that employees are required to wear masks, including during such briefings.

"We realize there has been a steady drumbeat over the last 19 months about civility and respectful discourse - and that is for good reason. Many of our people have been faced with an uncomfortable situation where their beliefs are not shared by someone else, resulting in a confrontation of some kind," the memo said, according to USA Today.

"And for every situation we hear about, there are dozens more for which we don't. It is vital that we treat everyone with respect and honor our differences without pushing our ideals on someone else," it added.

The memo also warned that it is "especially important" for crew members to "measure discussions" when they veer toward sensitive topics that could elicit emotional responses.

"Being off-duty is never an excuse to ignore the Golden Rule. Everyone has a different story before coming to work, and many times the best support we have is one another," it said.

A union for Southwest Airlines flight attendants told the outlet it was aware of the incident and will continue to support its member in accordance with the law.