Character Analysis: Zaharie Ahmad Shah

Furthermore, based on the News Week article, pilot Shah is proved to be a determined, hardworking man who “stayed with Malaysia Airlines for 30 years, recorded over 18,000 hours of flying time. No bad record, nothing untoward” (Simons 1). He worked for thirty years, which is an example of his hard work and determination. Although he was hardworking and determined in his career, he wasn’t determined to be a good husband. 

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The pilot of the MH370 Flight, Zaharie Ahmad Shah, was a cheater. A fellow captain stated “Zaharie’s marriage was bad. In the past he slept with some of the flight attendants” (Tiplady-Bishop 1). Shah had an affair with multiple flight attendants proving the fact that he was a cheater. In addition to cheating, “Friends of the captain claim that Shah became 'obsessed' with following models on Facebook, spending copious amounts of alone time scrolling through their feeds and leaving 'shyly sexual' comments on their photos” (1). Shah is not only having affairs with the flight attendants, but he is also flirting to woman online which is open to the public. 

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As well as a cheater, he also has an unhealthy obsession with online dating. In one case, “he is described as being a 'romantic' and is alleged to have become 'disconnected' from reality, spending too much time on social media and developing unhealthy, one-sided relationships with young models on Facebook” (Tiplady-Bishop 1). Based on this information, he is a womanizer who prefers to date models above being a nice husband, which brings us to an important point, according to an article on thesun.co.uk, “his wife knew” (1). She was aware of the indiscretions, and she may have been aware of everything, from internet interactions to sleeping with flight attendants. It drove her away, and she “had moved into their second home and that he was living alone” (1). With the result of Shah's wife's departure, it could have triggered his depression. 

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Moreover, another trait of pilot Shah, is that he was clinically depressed. For instance, “while perhaps a bad marriage wasn't the motive behind the alleged murder-suicide, it could have been a contributing factor to Shah's mental state following rumours that the pilot was 'clinically depressed'” (Tiplady-Bishop 1). This hypothesis highlights how personal relationships can intersect with mental health issues, potentially compounding the challenges faced by individuals battling depression. Also, based on family and coworkers of Shah, “he is described by those who claim to have known him as 'often lonely and sad'” (1). Those who claimed to have known him described him as "often lonely and sad," a characterization that aligns with common symptoms of depression, such as social withdrawal and persistent sadness.  

Additionally, “Pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah, who was reportedly clinically depressed, deliberately changed direction and speed to avoid 'giving a clear idea where he was heading', claims aerospace engineer Richard Godfrey” (Bunyan 1).  The suggestion that Shah was "clinically depressed" introduces a critical aspect of his mental health status, shedding light on the seriousness of his condition and its potential impact on his actions. 

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Which concludes, Shah's many traits could have affected his actions, including flight MH370. From his hard work to becoming a pilot in his public life, but secretly not so secret private life, was a depressed cheater who could have let his mental state affect his piloting the day of the flight disappearance.