U.S. News
Flight attendants claim United Airlines favored ‘young, white’ women for Dodgers flights
By Jake Beardslee · October 31, 2023
In brief…
- Two veteran United flight attendants allege discrimination over charter flights for the LA Dodgers
- Lawsuit accuses United of retaliation after older, non-white attendants complained
- Attendants say airline's actions caused psychological distress and income losses
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Two veteran United Airlines flight attendants are accusing the airline of discrimination, claiming they were denied lucrative charter flights for the Los Angeles Dodgers because they didn’t fit the team’s preference for young, white female crew members.
In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, Dawn Todd, 50, who is Black, and 44-year-old Darby Quezada, who is of Mexican, Black and Jewish descent, allege they were passed over for the coveted Dodgers’ flight assignments in favor of “young white thin women who did not have to interview for the highly coveted positions,” ABC News reported.
Both women have over 15 years experience with United. They are seeking unspecified damages for alleged discrimination and retaliation.
United responded with a statement saying it “fosters an environment of inclusion and does not tolerate discrimination of any kind.” The airline vowed to “vigorously” defend itself against the lawsuit.
According to the complaint, Todd and Quezada were initially selected for the Dodgers’ charter program after United faced a similar 2020 lawsuit over sports team flight staffing. But last year, several white flight attendants were added to the program, leading to fewer assignments for Todd and Quezada’s complete removal.
After Todd complained about the situation, the women faced alleged harassment and retaliation from United employees and managers.
The attendants say the airline’s actions caused loss of income, severe anxiety, lowered self-esteem and other psychological issues requiring counseling.