Delta Flight Attendant Files Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination and Retaliation
A Delta Air Lines flight attendant has filed a lawsuit accusing the airline of antisemitic discrimination and retaliation, citing multiple incidents that allegedly compromised the safety and dignity of Jewish and Israeli employees.
Key Allegations in the Lawsuit
The plaintiff, Roey Segev, a bilingual Hebrew and English-speaking crew member employed since March 2019, claims Delta engaged in a pattern of discriminatory practices targeting Jewish and Israeli employees. Segev highlights several incidents in his lawsuit:
- Alleged Antisemitic Behavior: On a January 2023 flight from Tel Aviv to New York, a purser allegedly referred to passengers as "your people" in a dismissive manner and reprimanded Segev for speaking Hebrew with customers. Delta reportedly failed to address Segev’s complaints about the encounter.
- Safety Concerns with an Unruly Passenger: During another Tel Aviv to New York flight, Segev alleges that he and another Jewish flight attendant were left to manage a violent passenger without standard support from Delta, such as diverting the flight to remove the individual.
- Heat-Related Incident: Segev reported unsafe cabin conditions during a Las Vegas to Atlanta flight in which the plane remained on the tarmac for over two hours in extreme heat. Multiple passengers and crew members reportedly required medical attention.
- Support for Hamas Allegations: Following an October 2023 terror attack on Israel by Hamas, Segev claims Delta retained employees who had publicly expressed support for Hamas, despite its social media guidelines. He alleges this contributed to a hostile work environment for Jewish employees.
Broader Context
This lawsuit follows another recent case where a Delta flight attendant alleged religious discrimination after being reprimanded for refusing to eat a ham sandwich, citing religious beliefs.
Delta has faced scrutiny in recent years regarding its handling of internal disputes and allegations of bias, with this case shedding light on the challenges of managing diverse employee experiences in the global aviation industry.
Delta’s Response
Delta Air Lines has not commented on the lawsuit at the time of publication. However, the airline maintains policies supporting diversity and inclusion, emphasizing its commitment to creating a respectful workplace.
