A former flight attendant for Spirit Airways is now suing the provider claiming she was discriminated in opposition to and wrongfully terminated as a result of she was too obese to strap herself into the jumpseat on the Airbus plane which the airline flies.
Chelsia Blackmon, who’s African-American, claims to be the sufferer of racial discrimination after a white colleague who she said might additionally not ‘match’ into the leap seat and buckle their belt was nonetheless capable of hold their job after being given the possibility to shed extra pounds.
Though the is not any set weight restrict for flight attendants with the airline, they’re required to have the ability to match inside and buckle the jumpseat for security.
On social media some have steered that girls as much as at the very least a dimension 18 (with a few 40 inch waist) would simply be capable to match into the leap seat of most industrial plane.
Chelsia Blackmon is accusing Spirit Airline of racial discrimination after she was fired as a result of she couldn’t match into the crew jumpseat
Throughout her coaching course, Blackmon was required to point out that she might strap herself right into a flight attendant jumpseat with a four-point harness however when it got here to flights on the Airbus A319 she was unable strap herself in
Blackmon’s grievance, filed final month in Florida the place Spirit is predicated, notes that she had accomplished and handed all coaching and compliance protocols, together with being strapped right into a leap seat utilizing a four-point harness,
Blackmon, who comes from Houston, Texas, says she efficiently proved she might buckle into the assorted jumpseats and harnesses used throughout Spirit’s Airbus A320 collection plane and had flown a number of journeys with none points.
It was solely after she was working a flight on September 3, 2021 on the Airbus A319 plane she discovered she was unable to strap herself into the jumpseat resulting from her dimension.
She was not allowed to make use of an extender belt and was requested to go away the airplane.
Blackmon was instantly positioned on administrative depart earlier than a gathering was held to debate her future.
Blackmon claims {that a} white flight attendant who had the identical drawback was given extra time to shed extra pounds to suit into the seat
In response to the grievance, on the assembly she was requested to point out that she was capable of buckle herself correctly right into a leap seat.
The next month, in October 2021, Blackmon was required as soon as once more to strap right into a leap seat with a purpose to work onboard a flight however discovered that after once more it was too small for her.
She was then barred from service shortly thereafter and fired in November for being unable to slot in the seat.
In court docket paperwork seen by Enterprise Insider Blackmon straight accuses Spirit of racial discrimination noting how a white flight attendant who had simply began with the airline confronted the identical leap seat drawback however was given a number of months earlier than she was requested to show that she might ‘match’ into the seat.
Blackmon is demanding an unspecified quantity in compensation within the type of again pay, compensatory damages, and punitive damages
Due to ‘discriminatory and unlawful differential remedy based mostly upon her race,’ Blackmon has suffered ‘misplaced wages, compensatory damages, psychological anguish and struggling,’ the grievance particulars.
She mentioned that the actions of the airline ‘had been in willful and malicious and in reckless disregard of her civil rights.’
The lawsuit doesn’t clarify whether or not Blackmon placed on further weight after finishing her coaching course, or whether or not she believes some jumpseat harnesses had been smaller than designed.
Blackmon is in search of again pay, damages, damages and authorized prices in a trial by jury.
The lawsuit doesn’t clarify whether or not Blackmon placed on further weight after finishing her coaching course, or whether or not she believes some jumpseat harnesses had been smaller than designed
