Canadian airline WestJet agrees to settle flight attendants’ sexual harassment class action

The recent settlement between Canadian airline WestJet and its female flight attendants who sued over rampant sexual harassment on their planes raises more questions than it answers. For a company that prides itself on customer service, the paltry sum of C$4.5 million to settle a decade-long class action lawsuit is an embarrassment.

This disparity in settlement amounts highlights a disturbing double standard within the aviation industry: female employees are seen as disposable, while customers’ complaints are taken seriously. WestJet had already paid out $12.5 million two years ago in a separate baggage fee class action, nearly three times the amount agreed to in the harassment suit.

Mandalena Lewis, the lead plaintiff in the case, has spoken out about her own experience of being sexually assaulted by a WestJet pilot on a layover in Hawaii in 2010. She reported the incident to the airline and even to police, but instead of taking action, WestJet allegedly rerouted the pilot to avoid questioning. Lewis was eventually fired from her job for “gross insubordination,” a claim she and her lawyers believe was retaliation for trying to hold the airline accountable internally.

A 2018 survey of over 3,500 flight attendants found that 68% had experienced sexual harassment in their careers, yet only 7% had reported incidents to their employers. This underreporting is a symptom of a larger problem: the culture of silence and complicity that pervades workplaces where women are marginalized.

WestJet’s statement claiming it was “pleased” with the settlement and committed to strengthening its operations and training rings hollow in light of this history. The company’s focus on “strengthening operations” rather than acknowledging wrongdoing or taking concrete steps to address harassment is a classic example of corporate doublespeak.

The airline’s decision to settle the lawsuit for such a small amount suggests that it will continue to prioritize profits over people, perpetuating a culture where women are vulnerable to harassment and retaliation. Other airlines and industries must take note: unless there are meaningful reforms and consequences for perpetrators, the culture of harassment and complicity will continue.

To address this issue, airlines must implement robust reporting systems, provide regular training for employees and managers, and take swift action against those found guilty of misconduct. Anything less will only perpetuate the status quo. The human cost of inaction is evident in cases like Mandalena Lewis’s, where victims are left without justice. As she herself said, “We didn’t get justice here.”