United Airlines Flight Attendants Claim They Were Taken Off an MLB Team Charter For Not Being 'White, Young, and Thin' in a New LawsuitFlight attendants Dawn Todd and Darby Quezada filed a lawsuit against United Airlines, claiming they were denied roles on a Dodgers charter flight due to their appearances not meeting specific racial and physical preferences.

ByMadeline Garfinkle

Key Takeaways

  • The lawsuit claims alleged bias in hiring practices and treatment.
  • "United fosters an environment of inclusion and does not tolerate discrimination of any kind," United Airlines said in a statement to Entrepreneur.

Two United Airlines flight attendants brought alawsuitagainst the company last week, claiming they were denied positions on a charter flight for the Los Angeles Dodgers because the MLB players preferred "white, young, thin women who are predominately blond and blue-eyed." The Dodgers are not named as defendants in the suit.

The flight attendants, Dawn Todd, 50, who is Black, and Darby Quezada, 44, of mixed Mexican, Black, and Jewish descent, alleged that they didn't have a "certain look," and claimed the airline denied them roles based on racial and physical biases.

"United fosters an environment of inclusion and does not tolerate discrimination of any kind," United Airlines said in a statement to狗万官方. "We believe this lawsuit is without merit and intend to defend ourselves vigorously."

In the lawsuit filed with the Los Angeles County Superior Court, the flight attendants claim they were discriminated against after originally beingchosen for the道奇包机计划,但后来的f the schedule. Todd and Quezada emphasized their 15 years of combined experience with United and are seeking unspecified damages and a jury trial. The lawsuit claims the treatment they received has resulted in lost income and has negatively impacted their health, causing panic attacks, anxiety, sleep conditions, and a decline in self-esteem.

Related:United Airlines to Pay $30 Million Settlement to Quadriplegic Man Left in Vegetative State After Flight

The lawsuit references a prior case; United Airlines settled an allegation in 2020 regarding the staffing of flights with attendants who were "young, white, female, and predominantly blonde and blue-eyed." The current lawsuit draws from this settlement, noting a change in 2022 when several white flight attendants were "blatantly selected by United's management…because of how they looked."

The lawsuit claims that, unlike Todd and Quezada, these newly added attendants did not have to interview for their positions, whereas the plaintiffs had to undergo "extensive" interviews to secure a position.

Madeline Garfinkle

Entrepreneur Staff

News Writer

Madeline Garfinkle is a News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate from Syracuse University, and received an MFA from Columbia University.

Related Topics

Business News

Some Lenders Are Offering 'Buy Now, Refinance Later At No Cost' Deals — But Is There a Catch?

Soaring mortgage rates have priced buyers out of the market, but some experts are saying to buy now and refinance later. Is it really that easy? Here's what to know.

Business News

McDonald's Made a Simple Change to a Cult-Favorite Menu Item. Now, the Sandwich Is a $1 Billion Brand.

The crispy chicken sandwich originally debuted on menus in 2021.

Business News

CEOs and CMOs Are Butting Heads at More Companies Than We Know — and It's Been Going on for Some Time

A recent report found a growing disconnect between the two C-suite positions.

Thought Leaders

Dismantling the 9 to 5 — Why Job Stacking Is the Future of Work

The rising trend of job stacking as a popular alternative to the traditional 9 to 5 work schedule, particularly among the millennials and Gen Z populations. Delve into the benefits of job stacking and discover its potential to revolutionize the American workforce by fostering greater satisfaction and autonomy.

Business News

Your Local Walmart Might Look a Lot Different This Week — Here's Why

Walmart is spending $9 billion on upgrades to thousands of stores over the next two years.