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Home » Law In Travel » Ex-Flight Attendant Who Was “Too Big” For Jump Seat Sues Spirit Airlines For Racial Discrimination
Law In TravelSpirit

Ex-Flight Attendant Who Was “Too Big” For Jump Seat Sues Spirit Airlines For Racial Discrimination

Matthew Klint Posted onDecember 9, 2022November 13, 2023 16 Comments

an airplane door with a door open

Headlines around the world suggest that an overweight flight attendant is suing Spirit Airlines when she was fired for being unable to fit into her jump seat. The lawsuit, however, is far more complex and involves a serious charge of racial discrimination.

Black Ex-Flight Attendant Was Too Big To Buckle Her Jump Seat Sues Spirit Airlines, Claiming Racial Discrimination

Chelsia Blackmon, a black American, was training to be a flight attendant on Spirit Airlines. During one training course, she was asked to demonstrate that she could strap herself into a jump seat (these seatbelts, unlike passenger belts, feature a four-point safety harness). She successfully strapped herself in, but while on a flight in September 2021 found that she was unable to secure her belt. Since flight attendants are not allowed to use seatbelt extenders, she was removed from the flight.

Blackmon was then placed on administrative leave and given a specified period to shed the weight necessary in order to secure her seat. By the end of that period, about a month later, she was still unable to strap herself in and was therefore terminated.

Blackmon is not disputing that she must be able to fit into the seatbelt, but is suing Spirit Airlines in Florida on discrimination grounds, claiming that a white colleague in precisely the same situation was given more time than her to lose weight.

That is a serious charge and if true, Blackmon has a strong case. It is not clear how she learned a white colleague was given more time or whether the two situations were analogous, but such discrimination is simply unacceptable under U.S. law and absurd as it sounds that a flight attendant unfit for the job would be able to sue, that is precisely what anti-discrimination laws are intended to protect against.

CONCLUSION

Blackmon alleges that Spirit Airlines acted “willful and malicious and in reckless disregard” of her civil rights. I’m not sure she even has to prove that. All she has to do is prove that her white colleague was given more time to cure the same problem. If she can, she wins. If not, she loses. It’s that simple.

(image: Christopher Doyle // H/T: Paddle Your Own Kanoo)

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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16 Comments

  1. Koggerj Reply
    December 9, 2022 at 11:33 am

    This is what happened when you enable the perpetual oppression delusion and grievance politics of the left. Some people actually start to believe it to be true.

    • Chad Reply
      December 9, 2022 at 2:35 pm

      That’s lunacy.

  2. ECH Reply
    December 9, 2022 at 11:33 am

    in other news Sam Brinton stole another suitcase and has been charged with grand larceny.. https://www.newsweek.com/sam-brinton-warrant-las-vegas-airport-harry-reid-1765820

    • Koggerj Reply
      December 9, 2022 at 11:40 am

      Let for Russia doesn’t capture him. Biden may end up trading him for some isis leader of something.

  3. Jerry Reply
    December 9, 2022 at 1:34 pm

    I think you should consider capitalizing the word Black when referring to a Black American. Black implies an identity and a shared experience, it doesn’t merely serve as a descriptor of the melanin in one’s skin. I think most media outlets are doing this nowadays. Just a thought…

    • ECH Reply
      December 9, 2022 at 1:40 pm

      The media is not capitalizing white. Does white not also imply an identity and a shared experience?

      • Mike Reply
        December 9, 2022 at 10:51 pm

        No it doesn’t , you precious little white boy.

        • Buck Fiden Reply
          December 11, 2022 at 9:07 am

          Wow. This reply strikes me as…what is the term…oh yeah: RACIST.

    • Uri Reply
      December 10, 2022 at 12:04 pm

      How do you know this FA is Black and more merely black?
      It’s quite simple to estimate the melanin content in one’s skin, much harder to evaluate their identity and shared experiences. Or should we assume one inevitably implies the other?

  4. Cam Reply
    December 9, 2022 at 2:14 pm

    I hope you report back on this story. Chucky FA are common now.. love to see them exit the OWE. Once hired some FA put on the pounds from all the delicious airport food, 1am uber eat taco bell order at Marriott etc.

  5. kw Reply
    December 9, 2022 at 4:16 pm

    Show the readers a pic of the black woman, for cryin-out-loud!!!

    • Jan Reply
      December 9, 2022 at 5:28 pm

      Why do you want to see pics of Billy Bob’s mom so bad

    • Buck Fiden Reply
      December 11, 2022 at 9:08 am

      Yeah! Let’s get a look at the wildebeest!

  6. Bails from Oz Reply
    December 10, 2022 at 12:51 am

    How about everybody drop the race discrimination clause when they really mean that they are being picked on for being too big to do their job properly, or sit in a normal economy seat, or insist on bringing their great-dane dog on board because they need a friend to fly with them.

  7. Johan Reply
    December 10, 2022 at 10:19 am

    Sounds like Chelsia should lay off the fried chicken for a while. Last time I checked, being a fatty isn’t a protected class.

  8. David Miller Reply
    December 22, 2022 at 2:10 am

    Fat asses are always complaining.

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