Two United flight attendants are suing the airline over allegations that they were prevented from working on flights chartered by the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team because they didn’t fit a certain “look”: “white, young, thin, blonde and blue-eyed”.
Dawn Todd, 50, and Darby Quezada, 44, claim that they were overlooked for, and eventually removed from, such flights in favour of female staff who were “young and thin”.
The lawsuit, which the Los Angeles Times reports was filed on 25 October in LA, “alleged harassment and/or discrimination based on race, national origin, religion and age” regarding the staffing of these charter flights. United denies all allegations.
The lawsuit reportedly details that both women have worked for United for over 15 years and had to undergo an extensive interview process for the work on the Dodgers flights, which can offer crew members up to three times the normal compensation.
However, the lawsuit alleges that “things changed again in 2022 when several white United flight attendants were added to the ‘dedicated crew.’ But, unlike Todd and Quezada, these white United flight attendants did not have to interview for these coveted positions.
“Instead, these white flight attendants were blatantly selected by United’s management ... because of how they looked: they are white, young, thin women who are predominately blonde and blue-eyed.”
When Ms Todd and Ms Quezada questioned why new attendants were added without having to undergo the same rigorous interview process, they claim they were told that “these white flight attendants fit a ‘certain look’ that the Dodgers players liked”.
Both women allege that they began to receive fewer assignments on Dodgers flights and were eventually demoted, and have claimed they were demeaned on flights and during meetings. The claimants say the incidents cost them income and led to “anxiety and other conditions”, reports the Daily Mail. They are seeking an unspecified amount in damages.
United previously settled a similar case in March 2021 after two other flight attendants claimed that “United based which flight attendants were assigned to sports charter flights ‘entirely on their racial and physical attributes, and stereotypical notions of sexual allure’”.
In a statement to The Independent, the airline said: “United fosters an environment of inclusion and does not tolerate discrimination of any kind.
“We believe this lawsuit is without merit and intend to defend ourselves vigorously.”
