Two experienced United Airlines flight attendants have filed a lawsuit claiming they were discriminated against and kept off a special flight for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
The attendants, Dawn Todd, 50, who is Black, and Darby Quezada, 44, of mixed Mexican, Black and Jewish heritage, allege that they were excluded because they didn’t fit the “certain look” the Dodgers players reportedly preferred—namely “white, young, thin” women.
United Airlines has pushed back against the lawsuit. In a statement to Reuters, 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.”
Interestingly, the Dodgers themselves are not being sued and denied comment. A team spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times that they do not comment on ongoing legal matters.
The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, points out that Todd and Quezada have each worked for United Airlines for over 15 years. They are asking the court for damages, although the amount hasn’t been specified.
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The lawsuit also calls attention to a similar case from 2020, where United Airlines settled allegations of staffing flights with mostly young, white, blonde, and blue-eyed female attendants.
Todd and Quezada claim that despite this earlier settlement, discrimination resurfaced in 2022. They state that “things changed again in 2022 when several white United flight attendants were added to the ‘dedicated crew.'”
These white attendants, according to the lawsuit, didn’t even have to interview for the roles, unlike Todd and Quezada who underwent “extensive” interviews.
After getting into the program, both Todd and Quezada say they were given fewer assignments on Dodgers flights. Quezada was eventually removed “without any justification,” while Todd was treated poorly, even being called “the flight’s maid” by other employees.
The lawsuit goes beyond job loss, stating that both Todd and Quezada suffered emotionally. They claim to have experienced panic attacks, anxiety, and a drop in self-esteem because of how they were treated. Now, they are seeking a jury trial to decide the case.
The lawsuit could have major implications, not just for the two flight attendants, but also for United Airlines. It challenges the airline’s public stance on being an inclusive workplace and could potentially reveal deeper, systemic issues related to discrimination.
It also does not speak well for the Dodgers if, in fact, they ever stipulated preferences of a flight attendant’s appearance.