This has to be one of the strangest instances of a former airline employee suing the company for wrongful termination.
Ida Gomez Llanos, a 79 year old who had been with Delta for 56 years, claims she was targeted by the company and colleagues, and wrongfully terminated.
79 Years Old & $250K/Year
Let’s start with what is probably as shocking to many as the lawsuit as such. Yes, in the US we have flight attendants who are 79 years old, and even older than that.
Gomez started at a predecessor to Delta in 1962, and she was the most senior flight attendant for Delta in their Los Angeles base, and one of the five most senior flight attendants at the company altogether.
There’s no mandatory retirement age for flight attendants, and as long as they can pass their evacuation tests every year, they’re allowed to keep flying. While I don’t mind that as such, I do take issue with how lax the tests are, because if you fail the evacuation test you can take it over and over until you pass.
As far as the $250K per year goes, that certainly sounds on the very high side. The pay scale tops out after a certain number of years, and with 50+ years of seniority your pay doesn’t keep increasing.
So while she was no doubt making way more than a junior flight attendant, there must be a lot more to this story. For example, she must be very creative with picking up overtime, and be flying constantly.
Gomez’s Allegations Against Delta
According to Gomez’s lawsuit, the campaign to get her fired was going on for a long time. She claims this was a coordinated effort by both management and colleagues:
- She argues that her colleagues were jealous and resentful of her seniority, since it allowed her first dibs at bidding on routes, and also at picking up additional flights; as a result she claims that employees filed defamatory reports against her
- She claims that Delta was trying to get rid of the highest seniority flight attendants since they were the most costly, and she claims that Delta welcomed any criticism of their most senior employees in order to achieve this
Gomez also claims she was an excellent flight attendant, and received many awards over the years, including perfect attendance awards, and was also nominated for Delta’s Chairman’s Club several times, for the top 1% of employees.
She claims that the accusations against her started in 2018. You can read the full lawsuit here, though I’ll just hit on some of the highlights:
- Gomez was accused of paying a colleague $100 in order to switch positions with her on the plane because she couldn’t reach the overhead bins (she’s 4’11”), and paying someone to switch positions violates Delta’s rules; the flight attendant who accused her of this was soon fired for sexually assaulting a male flight attendant by grabbing his crotch, and she also ended up taking back her statement about Gomez
- In a separate incident, Gomez was accused of not working in her assigned position, which she denies
- Gomez had been informed that a colleague was heard saying to others that “I am trying to get her fired any way I can”
- Other flight attendants accused her of not being able to arm & disarm the door, and she claims that they were “circulating pictures of her”
- Flight attendants made other false statements about her, like that she was stealing chocolate, eating food before serving passengers, putting Bailey’s in her coffee during a flight, and being stopped at customs for stealing; she strongly defends against this, saying she doesn’t drink alcohol and doesn’t eat chocolate, since she’s a diabetic
Gomez filed several reports against colleagues for harassment, but things only got worse. She claims that:
- She was followed around by one colleague who was constantly trying to take pictures of her doing things wrong
- Another colleague threw a large bag full of covers directly at her head
- Colleagues put Delta service items near her bag and took pictures of it to make it look like she was stealing
The company eventually said that Ms. Gomez “had a very hard time overall staying on track and would not take any accountability for her actions.”
The final straw was when Gomez brought a carton of milk back into the US after a flight from Sydney. She had “inadvertently” failed to mark “yes” on the customs form for bringing back any animal products. She was randomly searched, and they found the milk, so she was fined.
There was then allegedly miscommunication with her Delta managers about whether she took the milk from the plane, or if she had brought it onboard. The purser on the flight had also accused her of taking nine boxes of cereal from the flight, which she claims is false.
What Delta Says In Response
For their part, Delta just issued the following statement regarding the lawsuit:
“When a violation of company policy is identified or inappropriate conduct is reported, Delta conducts a thorough investigation to determine the appropriate course of action — considering many factors, including the employee’s overall performance record and length of service. Decisions like these are not made lightly or without a comprehensive review by many.”
My Take On This
As I read this lawsuit, I couldn’t help but stop every paragraph and ask myself “what the actual f&*$?”
This story is so incredibly strange. Everything about it. Obviously as of now we only have one side of the story, which is the lawsuit. But this whole thing just seems totally nuts.
Was the entire LAX Delta base working together to get her fired? The fact that she kept flying over and over with people who were allegedly trying to ruin her life is bizarre. Were they intentionally bidding to get on her flight to do that? And what was their real motive?
For once I actually have no clue whatsoever to make of a case like this. Some very strong accusations are being made, like her literally drinking during a flight, constantly stealing from the plane, and much more. She denies basically everything.
Just wow…
I liked her.
I had a similar experience. I had a crew to get me fired and it backfired. They were stealing liquor off the plane . They nearly got fired but I dint want to push their termination nor did my flying partner. But yes there are. People out there that will do evil things to other crew members.
This happened four years ago. And the termination stuck. She clashed frequently with our other colleagues and was well-known for “stirring the pot” and causing serious problems onboard. Buh-bye, Inez.
She had a long history of alienating her coworkers. I was Northwest and I flew with her handful of times. She had to tendency to create a hostile work environment with mostly other females by writing people up for some insignificant or perceived infractions. She was also known to concoct stories and snitch to a manager. So whether or not these accusations are noted in here true, she made quite a few enemies over the course of her career. She not missed
I worked for Northwest/ Delta for 32 years, everyday I saw Pilots, flight attendants, ground crews, walk off the plane and taking something with them, being water, food, snacks, etc. it’s a common practice, so to single out just one senior flight attendant, yes, there is definitely a plot against her, I don’t understand why someone would want to work at that age anyway, I understand loving what you do, but really.
I can believe it.... LAX is notorious for bullying, both from the Flight Attendants and management, especially during a Pandemic. They contradict their own work rules. They contradict their semantics. Delta Flight Attendants absolutely need a union.
Safety related issues and stealing, yes, need to be disciplined, but not trumped up, perceptive hearsay.
I don’t see her age as an issue . If she can do it then that’s great.
A lot of flight attendant’s junior to her would like to have a higher seniority number . I don’t think that’s right. If she loves job more power to her. Let’s kind to all of our colleagues no matter their age .
I bet my paycheck she wasn't making 250k; I am a pilot.
As to the "she deserves what she makes" claim.... NO FLIGHT ATTENDANT SHOULD MAKE MORE THAN A PILOT.
Glad she is out. At 79, 4'11" she is physically incapable to perform the job. Annual checks are a joke. Glad politically correctness is not helping this old fart. It took about 30 years to realize that people luke her should not be doing jobs they cant do.
@Lins77 Diabetic does not mean obese if you look at a picture of her you will see that she is thin much thinner than you and also hasn’t taken a sick day in 30yrs.
Wow someone works for one company longer than most of you trolls up here and you ate hating the woman from the idiot of this blog he damn sounds jealousy to me to someone talking she wasn't fired because of her age hate to tell you this but do you really think Delta will come out and say yes we fired her because of her age and i hate to inform you but companies put...
Wow someone works for one company longer than most of you trolls up here and you ate hating the woman from the idiot of this blog he damn sounds jealousy to me to someone talking she wasn't fired because of her age hate to tell you this but do you really think Delta will come out and say yes we fired her because of her age and i hate to inform you but companies put spins on things all the time oh look at how much she is making if you make that much go tell your boss I am making to much cut my pay in half
I agree. They won’t tell the honest truth. They will encourage a person to retire and if they don’t …, when something goes wrong they could. Probably would.
Unbelievable the hateful comments against this hardworking woman, from trolls up in this forum. If one works hard it’s wrong, if one doesn’t work it’s wrong, then wtf?. Most trolls here spewing hateful comments are simply jealous because they could never-ever measure to this woman’s not even a bit. To me she is admirable, having such long loyalty for a company with her many decades of service.
I have flown with Ida and she is an excellent Flight attendant.I think the $250,000 salary is very inflated.Also,for years there have been rumors of her stealing things off the airplane.This is one thing Delta or any other airline will not tolerate.This is not about age,but about did she steal from the company.We have many older flight attendants at Delta that the company is not trying to fire.
If you are a flight attendant over 50 they are forcing you to retire or using all sorts of accusations to fire you. Need to shuck you for the younger cheaper F/A's to take your place. Georgia's "right to work? law allows them to fire you without cause and you can only fight it with age an discriminating suit and if you even win that they will keep fighting with appeals until they bankrupt you...
If you are a flight attendant over 50 they are forcing you to retire or using all sorts of accusations to fire you. Need to shuck you for the younger cheaper F/A's to take your place. Georgia's "right to work? law allows them to fire you without cause and you can only fight it with age an discriminating suit and if you even win that they will keep fighting with appeals until they bankrupt you in legal fees....if you win you will never get the money, the appeal process is almost a joke...Delta's old saying is "we can fire you anytime without an excuse" ... need to get dedicated lawyers to get the right to work law repealed in Georgia and get a union where voting for/against votes are not cast on Delta's computers like last time....DELTA fits in good with the "blue boys" who are presently destroying our country politically and financially. The little old lady of 79 simply got screwed just as many are today without fan fare.
if you fall into this catergory then I suggest you pack your little bag and quietly go away....little bitterness maybe but whats really fair in this ole today,s world.
AL
None of us are perfect. No one knows what really happened. Rumors spread … and the next flight that person works that there talking about can influence other crew members. It’s not good.
I think it’s very true that they want the older ones to retire. I’ll ask you when you reach 70 and if your still there kudos
I knew her and found her to be very good with the psgr’s.I know she was found with milk in her bag
Leaving Syd and the flight was delayed while she was interrogated.I heard the rumors about stealing but personally don’t know the truth about that,but Delta would not fire her without ironclad evidence.
Interesting to see so many “frequent fliers” with such a nasty attitude toward flight attendants in general. The traveling public is an unpleasant faction to deal with and most flight attendants just want to be treated with some civility and respect (don’t mistake this for adoration.) I’m guessing it’s those who are demanding and think they’re above the federal regs on airplanes who are the ones whining about flight attendants. Sorry you had to be...
Interesting to see so many “frequent fliers” with such a nasty attitude toward flight attendants in general. The traveling public is an unpleasant faction to deal with and most flight attendants just want to be treated with some civility and respect (don’t mistake this for adoration.) I’m guessing it’s those who are demanding and think they’re above the federal regs on airplanes who are the ones whining about flight attendants. Sorry you had to be told to put away your laptop and turn your phone off one too many times and it’s forever soured your attitude toward flight attendants. Or is it because the mean flight attendant told you no when you tried to weasel your way into a better seat which you didn’t pay for?
We are fortunate to have an extremely safe aviation industry; just because flight attendants don’t often have to perform the doomsday tasks they are trained for doesn’t mean they aren’t ready and prepared. Please remember that.
As for the lawsuit, where there’s smoke there’s usually fire. There’s two sides to every story and then there’s the truth. Lots of misleading information out there regarding how things work in this industry. Newsflash: there’s no ‘salaries’ and definitely no overtime for dal flight attendants. At the end of the day, the goal here is getting media attention and her side of the story out to garner a following and sympathy.
The answer is Money. Now, what’s the question? She costs more than junior flight attendants and wields power and clout because of seniority. The “easiest” thing is to get rid of her since she won’t go of her own accord. So now you have a conspiracy to be rid of her and she’s smart enough to fight it. I hope she wins and rubs dog sh$t in the organization’s face during and after.
What happened to this FA is truly disgusting. However Delta FA's are non-union at-will employees, meaning they can be terminated for any reason at any time with or without cause. Indeed, she was terminated for her age. Moreover, internal employees with lesser seniority smeared her in order to move up the ranks, yet Delta refused to intervene. Instead Delta retaliated, because the most senior employees are the most expensive to retain. It's all about money...
What happened to this FA is truly disgusting. However Delta FA's are non-union at-will employees, meaning they can be terminated for any reason at any time with or without cause. Indeed, she was terminated for her age. Moreover, internal employees with lesser seniority smeared her in order to move up the ranks, yet Delta refused to intervene. Instead Delta retaliated, because the most senior employees are the most expensive to retain. It's all about money and nothing else. Delta has a long history of anti-labor anti-union practices. They busted the Northwest union during the merger and are unfettered in spewing anti-union propaganda as well as retaliating against pro-union employees. I refuse to patronize such companies and never fly Delta for this reason. I hope this FA sues and wins. She deserves better and the flying public deserves better than Delta.
Age and money are not the issue here.
If she reputedly cannot arm a door, then it follows that she would not be able to OPEN an ARMED door (the manual doors are very difficult with the slide engaged)
Evacuation problem, as I see it. Other FA cover.
So it's down to company rules and annual checks, which, surprisingly, she managed to pass.
However, I would vote for zero tolerance on drinking alcohol on...
Age and money are not the issue here.
If she reputedly cannot arm a door, then it follows that she would not be able to OPEN an ARMED door (the manual doors are very difficult with the slide engaged)
Evacuation problem, as I see it. Other FA cover.
So it's down to company rules and annual checks, which, surprisingly, she managed to pass.
However, I would vote for zero tolerance on drinking alcohol on board (Baileys in the coffee, reputedly) and disciplinary action for customs violations, which on the second or third instance would lead to dismissal.
Let's also face it, DL, AA and many US carriers' FA's don't really do much on flights, so the burden of work is hardly high.
I might sit on the fence as to whether 70 and 80 year olds should be responsible for safety on board. Many low cost carriers employ extremely young staff, who (I envisage) would be doing their hair and makeup in an emergency in case the TV cameras were outside! (I wait for the jibes)
Law suit? Oh not another one. Can't humans negotiate and agree any more?
It's amazing how we can take any personal situation and become the righteous judge and jury without the facts, travel related dispute or not.
To me. this has the ring of age discrimination on the part of both DL and envy on the part of fellow employees vying for coveted routes. partially because I went through watching the heartbreak of seeing my fiancé fall victim to blatant age discrimination by being terminated for no cause...
It's amazing how we can take any personal situation and become the righteous judge and jury without the facts, travel related dispute or not.
To me. this has the ring of age discrimination on the part of both DL and envy on the part of fellow employees vying for coveted routes. partially because I went through watching the heartbreak of seeing my fiancé fall victim to blatant age discrimination by being terminated for no cause but to save money in spite of a stellar and unblemished career and having reached a Director's level in a big company. The worst was her knowing that she'd never work again on her level in an today's atmosphere of blatant age decimation in hiring.
But that's just my vantage point: Not knowing the facts in this case, I could easily be wrong.
I have flown with her recently. She had her act together and yes....there are plenty of issues between older and newer employees. Tragic story....if they fire people for eating chocolate....they would terminate 90% of the crew
@GH, there are areas of the USA that are also very strict about biosecurity, especially in areas where citrus are grown. Bring a medfly-contaminated orange back from Madrid to LAX, don't declare and submit it for proper incineration and you can actually be charged with a felony in California because eradicating a medfly infestation can run $50 million or more in current dollars once it's taken hold in a location and the state wants to...
@GH, there are areas of the USA that are also very strict about biosecurity, especially in areas where citrus are grown. Bring a medfly-contaminated orange back from Madrid to LAX, don't declare and submit it for proper incineration and you can actually be charged with a felony in California because eradicating a medfly infestation can run $50 million or more in current dollars once it's taken hold in a location and the state wants to strongly discourage people from accidentally causing such an event.
MIA also has a very aggressive medfly-monitoring program in the name of protecting Florida citrus crops.
And when you're wearing the uniform and failing to comply with immigration and customs laws, it's not just about you, it also becomes about your employer and why it is not holding rules-breakers accountable at their job.
The only thing that seems off to me and that doesn't appear to be an issue at all is that this woman is a diabetic. How is that not disqualifying for a flight attendant? If anything happens mid-flight because of that condition, she could easily die.
You have got to be kidding me. Flight attendants on US carriers will clearly state they are on the flight for your "safety" not service. You think a 79 yr old woman is the right person to be in charge of what might be a very physically and mentally challenging situation? If so, then we need to up the age of retirement for fire safety personnel and military service. What a joke, this is what...
You have got to be kidding me. Flight attendants on US carriers will clearly state they are on the flight for your "safety" not service. You think a 79 yr old woman is the right person to be in charge of what might be a very physically and mentally challenging situation? If so, then we need to up the age of retirement for fire safety personnel and military service. What a joke, this is what is wrong with US Flag carriers a $250K salary for a flight attendant. Bad attitudes and worse service.
I was on a 13+ hour Delta flight last week and was shocked to see the old age of my flight attendant. By her looks, I think she looked like a real beauty once upon a time, but now she was old and a bit hefty. I worried about her ability to move the cart. At decades younger, I would not want to do that work. I like solid ground. I chatted with her and...
I was on a 13+ hour Delta flight last week and was shocked to see the old age of my flight attendant. By her looks, I think she looked like a real beauty once upon a time, but now she was old and a bit hefty. I worried about her ability to move the cart. At decades younger, I would not want to do that work. I like solid ground. I chatted with her and she had 40 years of service. NIGHTMARE to me, but to each his/her own. Maybe they should have to pass the test more regularly after a certain age.
@cindi The average salary for a first responder in the US is $34K annually. You might want to shift your Union talking points in a new direction
@Frank Don’t bother with Cindi, she is trolling with her friend Tomek on this and other blogs regarding this case and touting the great danger they face each day as flight attendants and how they make our lives so much safer and thus deserve more than first responders. But when stuff goes south on a plane it’s first responders they are begging for on the intercom. It’s so eye rolling as to give me a migraine.
Cindi just curious how you intend on putting out an engine fire from the cabin
@SCG There are very few 25 year old flight attendants I would entrust to my safety. None of them matter in a real situation. At the end of the day it’s fellow passengers and your own will to survive that gets you out of the one in 10 Million chance you encounter a life saving moment on an aircraft. But, of course, the unions and flight attendants love to milk the safety part as the...
@SCG There are very few 25 year old flight attendants I would entrust to my safety. None of them matter in a real situation. At the end of the day it’s fellow passengers and your own will to survive that gets you out of the one in 10 Million chance you encounter a life saving moment on an aircraft. But, of course, the unions and flight attendants love to milk the safety part as the key element of their job. First to detract from them actually offering service and second as a way for Unions to spin the narrative that they somehow make a difference.
If you've worked in any type of professional environment with late-aged women, you know that this is par for the course.
As someone who spent years helping out with a grandparent with Alzheimer's, I have to say that everything about the lawsuit screams dementia to me. Paranoia, strange behavior, even stranger stories about colleagues out to get her: I hope for her sake that I am wrong, but I am sure a doctor's evaluation will end up being part of the law suit.
That aside, I have had some wonderful flight attendants in the later...
As someone who spent years helping out with a grandparent with Alzheimer's, I have to say that everything about the lawsuit screams dementia to me. Paranoia, strange behavior, even stranger stories about colleagues out to get her: I hope for her sake that I am wrong, but I am sure a doctor's evaluation will end up being part of the law suit.
That aside, I have had some wonderful flight attendants in the later years of their life, but the vast majority have seemed both unhappy about and unfit for the job. If, God forbid, I'm ever in a plane accident, there are very few 79-year-olds in this world to whom I would want to entrust my safety.
“Major Nevada Discrimination Case Does Not Go Delta’s Way“
In 2017 a Nevada jury awarded a former Delta flight attendant 1.3 million, after Delta fired him for refusing to provide him with an accommodation under the American with Disabilities Act.
So why is anyone surprised that Delta fired Ida for being too old.
There are several cases making their way through the courts now alleging discrimination by former and current Delta employees.
...“Major Nevada Discrimination Case Does Not Go Delta’s Way“
In 2017 a Nevada jury awarded a former Delta flight attendant 1.3 million, after Delta fired him for refusing to provide him with an accommodation under the American with Disabilities Act.
So why is anyone surprised that Delta fired Ida for being too old.
There are several cases making their way through the courts now alleging discrimination by former and current Delta employees.
In 2017 the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was investigating five claims of discrimination by Delta employees all based at LAX
Delta does have strict rules when it come to breaking the rules of the company. My take on this topic is do your investigation and be ready to get a union. Where it protects your company and the employees.
One thing that I have seen many times on planes is FA wearing high heel boots. Seriously!!!! I try to imagine them needing to run in an emergency situation. As for this FA I don’t know enough to comment but I think at 79 years old unless she is an “ironwoman” she may not be as agile as one should to perform an emergency evacuation.
from the comments above, I don't think people understand why bring Milk illegally into a country such as Australia is a fireable offense. Australia has strict bio-security laws prohibit certain foreign foods entering the country, due to the threat of introducing serious pests and diseases into Australia, which could devastate the agriculture and tourism industries. If you have been flying for 56 years as a crew member, you know how to read a customs form,...
from the comments above, I don't think people understand why bring Milk illegally into a country such as Australia is a fireable offense. Australia has strict bio-security laws prohibit certain foreign foods entering the country, due to the threat of introducing serious pests and diseases into Australia, which could devastate the agriculture and tourism industries. If you have been flying for 56 years as a crew member, you know how to read a customs form, you know not to take dairy products into a country that forbids dairy products. Crew members are NOT inspected- like other passengers- however, Authorities do random searches crew members from time to time. During a random search, she was found bringing MILK illegally into Australia. While passengers would be scolded and the milk tossed. Crew members can get written up depending on the circumstance. This isn't the employer doing the writing up it's the authorities. milk contains bacteria that can cause disease. If a crew member is caught, a report can be written up and forwarded to the offender's employer and sometimes they even fine the employer, depending on the situation. I can just see her telling the authorities that her co-workers set her up instead of her saying, I'm sorry I forgot I will throw it away. I mean something major had got to of happened for DL mgmt to be informed of the milk situation.
I retired from Delta at 55 Years of age after nearly 35 years of flying. The only way you could earn this much income, is if you flew up to the FAA max hours (including international pay as purser). Accounting for vacation time, benefits, etc....I doubt that this is possible. Some of these senior Flight Attendants were terrific employees and co-workers however, some were (Seniority Is Everything) entitled, dour and superior. They may feel that...
I retired from Delta at 55 Years of age after nearly 35 years of flying. The only way you could earn this much income, is if you flew up to the FAA max hours (including international pay as purser). Accounting for vacation time, benefits, etc....I doubt that this is possible. Some of these senior Flight Attendants were terrific employees and co-workers however, some were (Seniority Is Everything) entitled, dour and superior. They may feel that standards & rules do not apply to them. Unless you were kind, supportive and a team player....watch your back!
If she flew,all international,all purser and max hrs she could have made $200,000 or a little more.
Meanwhile pilots have to retire at 65, and used to have to go at 60...
This wasn't age discrimination. DL has a LOT of advanced age FAs. I fly with them all the time. The 'salary' is way off...
DL doesn't fire people easily, so there was a file.
And nobody "flaunts" seniority. There is no jealousy about it. No matter your seniority you have a ton of flexibility. She should be sued by the FAs in the base for defaming them.
For those who have an...
This wasn't age discrimination. DL has a LOT of advanced age FAs. I fly with them all the time. The 'salary' is way off...
DL doesn't fire people easily, so there was a file.
And nobody "flaunts" seniority. There is no jealousy about it. No matter your seniority you have a ton of flexibility. She should be sued by the FAs in the base for defaming them.
For those who have an issue with the amount of money tho...i hope you're never on a flight of mine with a medical issue. I might suddenly be too busy serving diet coke to save your life. Same goes for when an engine fire starts or other fire on-board and u can't breath. I'll wear a pbe and survive but skip putting out the fire. We are first responders who deserve the same respect you give others. If you're jealous of our perks, stop whining and come join us. It's the best job in the world! I used to be a 9-5 office worker with an advanced degree. I'd do this anyday! Freedom and flexibility among other things!
I'm 75 and fly 30,000 miles a year minimum. In September I climbed a 1000 meter hill one afternoon. Two years ago
climbed Table Mountain in 40 degree heat.
Today's 80 is yesterday's 60.
She's being discriminated against unless she's incapable according to company medical policy.
TO: Travel4Living,
You don't know DL management.
There is no reason to go to war inside the company as you suggest. DL allows union organizing activity on its property and inside it's crew lounges and has done so for years. So to say that to utter a word in favor of organizing will get you terminated is simply nonsense. Flight staff is permitted to wear pro union pins on their uniform and has done...
TO: Travel4Living,
You don't know DL management.
There is no reason to go to war inside the company as you suggest. DL allows union organizing activity on its property and inside it's crew lounges and has done so for years. So to say that to utter a word in favor of organizing will get you terminated is simply nonsense. Flight staff is permitted to wear pro union pins on their uniform and has done so for many years.
Call it what you like - tossing money at the f/a's - but it's makes good business sense to do so. Well paid employees make happy employees who are loyal and buy into the company's mission.
If you think it's easy to be terminated without just cause and a file filled with negative issues then you're in the dark again. The last thing any company needs to do in this day and age is pull stunts like that.
Go back and study up on the inside at DL or find a much better conduit for info because you'be been handed some real garbage for info.
@catana harassed
I wonder how many millennials can be hired with the $250,000...
Get out while the getting is good...
In a free society, she would have been let go and that would be the end of it.
For those who say that this is age discrimination clear and simple, then why are there still older (by age) and more senior flight attendants still flying for Delta? Why haven't they been targeted? In fact, Delta just celebrated the retirement of a flight attendant/purser recently who had been flying for 60 years and is currently in her mid-eighties?
https://news.delta.com/captivated-start-flight-attendant-cecile-beck-retires-after-60-years-pan-am-delta
The current #1 seniority at Delta also has 60 years (started flying in 1959),...
For those who say that this is age discrimination clear and simple, then why are there still older (by age) and more senior flight attendants still flying for Delta? Why haven't they been targeted? In fact, Delta just celebrated the retirement of a flight attendant/purser recently who had been flying for 60 years and is currently in her mid-eighties?
https://news.delta.com/captivated-start-flight-attendant-cecile-beck-retires-after-60-years-pan-am-delta
The current #1 seniority at Delta also has 60 years (started flying in 1959), so older and more senior than Ida...
This story needs to be fleshed out more. There is a real scary story here. Lets start with explaining how her compensation is fairly high, no I am not saying its $250,000. I know who this lady is and she flies high time international trips back to back and her salary is the top pay at over $63 an hour plus she gets international pay, possibly purser pay and she gets per diem. But what...
This story needs to be fleshed out more. There is a real scary story here. Lets start with explaining how her compensation is fairly high, no I am not saying its $250,000. I know who this lady is and she flies high time international trips back to back and her salary is the top pay at over $63 an hour plus she gets international pay, possibly purser pay and she gets per diem. But what is perhaps more important is this. These are the tactics that Delta uses. They are known to put crew members on your flight to be able to accuse you of various things. And they will embellish the facts. Think about this, if they were to fire, suspend, or put on probation everybody that took something off an aircraft water, milk etc. Delta would not have a staff. She was being watched and therefore targeted. There are many flight attendants coming through customs with milk etc. Sometimes something as small as a carton of milk can be tossed. When they want you gone they will use unsavory tactics to do it. There is disparate treatment based on race, age and if you have spoken on inconsistent work rules or a need for a union. There are many, many stories and there are many lawsuits that are under the radar. There are a lot of flight attendants that cannot pursue their cases because it is a lengthy process, it is expensive and then you have people who believes all of the accolades that this company has received. This company has deep pockets and is highly regarded, a lot of flight attendants choose not to tell their stories out of FEAR. There is a lot of validity to her story. It should not be but it is going to take more people to come out and tell their stories.
Clarification on above: Ida does not need to take RMD's (required minimum distributions) from her Delta affiliated 401k as long as she stayed employed. Normally when one hits 70.5 years of age a percentage of the retirement portfolio would be added to one's income.....she can delay that under present circumstances as long as she was employed. Since she was employed and not taking a government (PBGC) pension hers would notThe pilot's be allocated until she...
Clarification on above: Ida does not need to take RMD's (required minimum distributions) from her Delta affiliated 401k as long as she stayed employed. Normally when one hits 70.5 years of age a percentage of the retirement portfolio would be added to one's income.....she can delay that under present circumstances as long as she was employed. Since she was employed and not taking a government (PBGC) pension hers would notThe pilot's be allocated until she retired and took said pension. Again, The Daily Mail picked a number out of the air and published it.
It doesn't take an act of God to be terminated at Delta. If a flight attendant is heard promoting organized labor or even murmurs the "U" word they're gone. I know of two that suffered that indignation. That's the reason Delta is known to throw money at their flight attendants every time a competitor's receive raises or a contract......they'll go to war if it keeps unions off the property. Of course the pilots are ALPA and wield influence and are highly compensated.
Boraxo nailed it:
"Knowing how large companies operate I bet 100% this is age discrimination. her new supervisors decided they didn’t want to deal with her anymore and were greenlighted by senior managers who wanted to reduce payroll."
Why does anyone doubt this? This sort of thing happens countless times every day in corporate America. Business as usual. It'll happen to you someday.
People old and young get fired everyday. This is a non story
Things to consider:
1. Not one of us, nor the author of this article are privy to anything contained within her personnel file.
2. There are two sides to every story – it’s obvious this is one-sided as no dialogue is present.
3. The company is bound by privacy laws and is prohibited from making a statement that reveals any details of this action.
4. The employee is free to share whatever...
Things to consider:
1. Not one of us, nor the author of this article are privy to anything contained within her personnel file.
2. There are two sides to every story – it’s obvious this is one-sided as no dialogue is present.
3. The company is bound by privacy laws and is prohibited from making a statement that reveals any details of this action.
4. The employee is free to share whatever she likes, be it fact or fiction, and only her point of view.
5. All of us should take caution to jump on any verdict… that’s how justice plays out properly.
6. Is it really in a company’s best interest to terminate a “flawless” employee over a carton of milk? Seriously?
7. The indicated 250K salary should be called her personal income – NOT her salary. At her age, she’s required to take money from her 401K, she gets pension payments, collects her Social Security, and possibly has other avenues of income if she invested wisely. If able, she may fly very high hours but Delta cabin crew top out at 12 years and rely on company pay increases (across the board for non-union employees) as well as Delta’s extraordinarily generous annual bonus payouts.
Just my thoughts on this. And BTW – it takes an act of God to be terminated by Delta. If anybody tells you otherwise, they aren’t sharing the whole story. Again – TWO SIDES! We'd all be interested to see how this plays out although I doubt we’ll ever know the entire truth.
The above posts have covered the entire spectrum of opinions. The pay issue has been hashed over but just to do the math....here goes. The legacy carriers are fairly even at the top of the pay scale. That is 13 to 15 years of service. In other words, although Ms. Llanos may be at the top of the pay scale, so would a 13-15 year flight attendant. If you add in purser and international pay,...
The above posts have covered the entire spectrum of opinions. The pay issue has been hashed over but just to do the math....here goes. The legacy carriers are fairly even at the top of the pay scale. That is 13 to 15 years of service. In other words, although Ms. Llanos may be at the top of the pay scale, so would a 13-15 year flight attendant. If you add in purser and international pay, on top of the base scale, rounding off you're looking at $80 an hour. Most flight attendants will attempt to pick up extra time over their assigned schedule so it's feasible that one could hit $120K. A ridiculously high schedule and maybe $150K. Lucky, you need to fact check....especially the Daily Fail rag.
Discrimination is a form of holiness especially when it means not having 79 year old flight attendants. That is just beyond ridiculous. The cabin is best crewed by people under 35 who then move on to jobs conducive to raising families. Extend that 15 years for career flight attendants who become purser. But anything above that is asking for trouble: poor service, unhappiness and a danger to flight and passenger safety. Being a flight attendant...
Discrimination is a form of holiness especially when it means not having 79 year old flight attendants. That is just beyond ridiculous. The cabin is best crewed by people under 35 who then move on to jobs conducive to raising families. Extend that 15 years for career flight attendants who become purser. But anything above that is asking for trouble: poor service, unhappiness and a danger to flight and passenger safety. Being a flight attendant is a physical job with walking back and forth the cabin through the flight. If there is an emergency, they are the ones with experience to quickly open the doors and manage the exit.
This woman should be shamed for taking jobs from younger people and posing a greater risk to passengers.
Delta FAs need to unionize. They are being naive in thinking big boss corporation will take care of them at the expense of company's balance sheet.
I wasn't there, so I can't speak to the accusations about bringing milk on board (horrors!) ir the like. But a simple Google search tells me that Delta's minimum height for flight attendants is 4'11". The company set that, so if that's a problem, it's on them. If that upsets you, fly another airline. Her height meets Delta's requirements. That's that. Lucky here could have checked that out as easily as I did, BTW.
As...
I wasn't there, so I can't speak to the accusations about bringing milk on board (horrors!) ir the like. But a simple Google search tells me that Delta's minimum height for flight attendants is 4'11". The company set that, so if that's a problem, it's on them. If that upsets you, fly another airline. Her height meets Delta's requirements. That's that. Lucky here could have checked that out as easily as I did, BTW.
As for her salary, first, I find no credible source for the $250 000 figure. The Daily Mail is not credible. It is being repeated by lazy "journalists" who give no indication that they have contacted Delta or the flight attendant to get a confirmation of her salary -- or of anything else, for that matter. Instead they are simply stealing a story from another outlet without doing any research on their own.
Second, again, Delta sets salaries. The company set her base salary, trump-related increases, profit sharing, and whatever else goes into her annual earnings. Presu6, they can afford it. It's irrelevant to the accusations, and to readers. Frankly, if your problem with her supposed behavior hangs on her salary, then you're saying it would be OK if she made less. Pretty hypocritical.
If salaries are. indeed, up for discussion -- and Lucky here has brought them into the picture -- then I'd say Lucky is pretty lucky to get paid even a penny for this shoddy theft of a story without even an attempt at verification (real journalists tell you if a company or individual had no comment or couldn't be reached -- very basic).
I’m sure there’s lots of “galley gossip” going on here. Of course when you have a 79 yr old in a base with probably the highest seniority, no doubt flaunting her roster around the base and perhaps not performing her job,as after so many years many believe they are now “owed” by the company to just take it easy and do what she likes -maybe she’s a nice senior or maybe she isn’t ,who knows,...
I’m sure there’s lots of “galley gossip” going on here. Of course when you have a 79 yr old in a base with probably the highest seniority, no doubt flaunting her roster around the base and perhaps not performing her job,as after so many years many believe they are now “owed” by the company to just take it easy and do what she likes -maybe she’s a nice senior or maybe she isn’t ,who knows, but we will never know the real truth and of course the company wouldn’t mind seeing the back of her especially since her payout is going to be enormous, unless they can get her on theft which would mean instant dismissal and a loss of money, Im also thinking her salary would be around the $150K mark.
She was not fired for being unable to perform her duties. She was fired on trumped-up charges that seem to have something to do with a carton of milk. Some of the comments here must come from guys who won't be too sharp at age 78 (her age when fired) because of too much free airline liquor, and not enough milk.
She’s 4’11 and 79 years old. She is not fit to be a FA. This is a physical career and one where we are told their main responsibility is our safety. When political correctness and safety come into conflict, safety should win every time. It's not discrimination if they can't do the job.
Love that she is still working and wants to work!! This is ageism. We are on the cusp of seeing more and more of us working into our eighties (at least!). I hope she wins the lawsuit and Delta has to embrace not only unions but all ages and types of workers.
She was not fired for “no reason” it was not about age or how much money she made..I am sure it was based on company violations.Delta would not fire someone unless they had a valid reason and had all their ducks in a row.There are plenty of older Flight attendants still flying that Delta is not trying to fire.
I find it surprising that someone that is 79 years old would still be flying. Being in an aircraft several times a week for long flights does something to you, it ages you faster at the least. Also, I doubt she'd be the best person to be the person charge in a serious airline accident or situation. However, I could be wrong. She could be in the best of health and a lot sharper than...
I find it surprising that someone that is 79 years old would still be flying. Being in an aircraft several times a week for long flights does something to you, it ages you faster at the least. Also, I doubt she'd be the best person to be the person charge in a serious airline accident or situation. However, I could be wrong. She could be in the best of health and a lot sharper than someone in their forties. The salary sounds ridiculous, however. If airlines paid that well, even after 50 years of service, I would imagine there would be a lot of competition for those kind of jobs.
@I am pretty sure it is not the union’s fault, since Delta flight attendants are not unionized.
Hmmmmm.... I dunno. I was a flight attendant for 30 years and saw and heard all kinds of stuff. The most senior F/A at my airline had begun his career a half-century before on Pan Am's original Caribbean flying boats! He was just shy of 80, dyed his hair coal black, and wore monogrammed velvet bedroom slippers while serving dinner in First Class...
With advancing age certain eccentricities begin to manifest themselves. Anyone with...
Hmmmmm.... I dunno. I was a flight attendant for 30 years and saw and heard all kinds of stuff. The most senior F/A at my airline had begun his career a half-century before on Pan Am's original Caribbean flying boats! He was just shy of 80, dyed his hair coal black, and wore monogrammed velvet bedroom slippers while serving dinner in First Class...
With advancing age certain eccentricities begin to manifest themselves. Anyone with an aging parent will attest to this. So while I believe Ms. Llanos may have bent - or even broken - some non-safety related regulations, I recall colleagues of mine who did far worse, but were not terminated. Ms. Llanos has been a loyal and award-winning employee - since 1964!!! - and I think Delta has handled this situation badly. I also think some of Delta's LAX-based crew members have behaved badly as well.
Her age should not be an issue if she can perform her duties. As for her height, she has always been that height ( she certainly hasn't grown taller.) Good for her for EARNING what she can by working. My take is that people usually don't start stealing and breaking the rules after this many years. Sounds like Delta put a target on her back.
Her salary is irrelevant. Fifty six years on the same job starting in the 1960s and it could be you. Nearly all of you are envious that you do not, can not and will not earn that income.
This story has been posted on many outlets. Either she is or is not qualified by Delta's FA requirements. She had to have been recertified within the past twelve months. Ultimately age and height are also...
Her salary is irrelevant. Fifty six years on the same job starting in the 1960s and it could be you. Nearly all of you are envious that you do not, can not and will not earn that income.
This story has been posted on many outlets. Either she is or is not qualified by Delta's FA requirements. She had to have been recertified within the past twelve months. Ultimately age and height are also not terminable offences. So we are down to did she violate Delta policies which are punishable up to and including termination?
Clearly this is a "see you in court". I would love AA to hire her as another Bettye Nash. Bad PR and a pending lawsuit.
Unfortunate for DL that this is breaking while AFA is attempting to organize DL Flight Attendants as they are currently not represented by a Union...
I don’t want an unfit person taking care of me on a flight. And at 79 years of age you are unfit compared to someone half your age (and not obese).
She's 79, and short, to boot. I doubt if she can perform all required duties, which is unfair to her coworkers. Not to mention all her little thefts. She's a stubborn old coot who needs to step down. - am prepared for a lot of thumbs down, but that's my take on it.
It's called the Daily Fail for a reason.
Their article about Ms. Gomez lives down to their reputation.
She was not making $250k, so that is where the Daily Mail garbage starts to go off the rails. Just do the math on DL top out pay and you’ll quickly see how much she would have had to be working every month. Second, she was known in LAX FA circles for being a repeat offender of bringing inadmissible food items into countries, probably for consuming on layovers. Understandable, but not allowed. Third, it’s the DAILY MAIL, that speaks for itself.
The $250K figure is not in the complaint. It's in an interview with the Daily Mail, which also includes an anecdote about a flight being hit by lightning when taking off from Ontario. The reporter added Ontario is in Canada, although I doubt that was the airport involved.
She started out flying for Bonanza, and her son is also a Delta FA based at LAX. They have worked some flights together. Must be an...
The $250K figure is not in the complaint. It's in an interview with the Daily Mail, which also includes an anecdote about a flight being hit by lightning when taking off from Ontario. The reporter added Ontario is in Canada, although I doubt that was the airport involved.
She started out flying for Bonanza, and her son is also a Delta FA based at LAX. They have worked some flights together. Must be an awkward situation for him, at times.
Watch for this case to be settled before trial, for an undisclosed amount.
"she’s 4’11”"
No age restrictions and no height restrictions, either, apparently...
Gary reported this earlier in the week and it’s fascinating in the comments that the argument became not so much about about the lawsuit but rather that it’s perfectly reasonable that a flight attendant should be making $250k. Of course, it’s flight attendants posting comments there about how dangerous and stressful the job is and deserving of $250K a year.
Knowing how large companies operate I bet 100% this is age discrimination. her new supervisors decided they didn’t want to deal with her anymore and were greenlighted by senior managers who wanted to reduce payroll.
Something strange about this story. Here in London , a DL attendant has just been found guilty of being seven times over the drink limit on duty , she was fined but it stated she had faced disciplinary action but remains employed by Delta. Compared to this milkgate affair , she seems to have got off lightly.
Joe Biden and Mike Bloomberg, both 77, and Bernie Sanders, 78, were not available for comment.
$250K probably includes fringe benefits, including travel passes.
$250,000 is a huge salary. She doesn't give good enough service to warrant that kind of pay. The unions and the company are to blame for wasting money.
@Nicola
She was not terminated because of her age, despite what she alleges in her lawsuit.
Any flight attendant found to have violated company policy or determined to have acted inappropriately would be subject to the same disciplinary action regardless of their age or length of service. Age has nothing to do with it.
Bette Nash is 83. She loves her job but most importantly AA loves to have her around. When the two parties are happy then there’s no issue. Is there any? No I bet there isn’t. Actually AA uses this as a marketing tool and I bet it works 100%. But in this case, Delta isn’t gaining any benefit, so why should they not have the right to terminate her, given her age which is well beyond retirement?
Ben, please don't assume that mandatory FAA recurrent training is "lax" because a flight attendant is allowed to retake a test that was not passed on the first attempt. Evacuation drills are just one part of the recurrent training. That said, this does seem to be a rather bizarre lawsuit.
my gut instinct is to blame corporations for doing what they always do, but i bet there's some element of truth to the stories. it's not unusual for veteran employees to think they're above the rules.
Bottom line is she was not fired for “no reason” It was not about her age,her height,her seniority or how much she made.She was fired for breaking the rules.Delta would never attempt to fire someone unless they had ironclad proof of her violating the rules.That is the nitty gritty,Y’all.