Tell Delta: Protect Flight Attendants from Passenger Harassment
Delta Air Lines Management
Are you a Delta Flight Attendant? Sign this petition instead.
On July 9, 2024, Delta Air Lines’ official X account responded to an inflammatory and racist post of two pictures taken of Delta Flight Attendants wearing small Palestine flag pins, without their consent while at work. Delta’s response, initially stating, “I hear you as I’d be terrified as well” and “Nothing to worry, this is being investigated already” showed a blatant disregard for workers’ safety and dignity, and further inflamed bigotry. This incident reflects Delta’s repeated failure to stand up for Flight Attendants and is unacceptable.
Current work provisions that allow Flight Attendants to “request they not be recorded or photographed and/or identified on camera” fail to protect us from doxxing and harassment due to non-consensual recording. This leaves Flight Attendants vulnerable to harassment, which is unacceptable especially given the industry-wide increase in aggressive verbal and physical harassment from passengers since 2020.
In response to Delta’s affirmation of bigoted and false comments, the Delta AFA Steering Committee—the national representative body of Delta Flight Attendants organizing our union at Delta—sent an Open Letter to Delta CEO Ed Bastian, demanding a public apology, prohibition of non-consensual photography, and immediate action to address Delta’s corporate social media moderation.
In response to worker and community pressure, Delta’s initial responses were deleted and the social media moderator was reassigned. But to date, Delta has not issued a public apology to the targeted Flight Attendants or taken meaningful steps to protect Flight Attendants.
Instead, on July 12, Delta issued a new policy prohibiting Flight Attendants from wearing any flag pins other than the US flag. For decades, Flight Attendant flag pins have been a proud symbol of our aviation history and a bridge between cultures. This move creates a chilling effect on anyone deemed “not American enough,” sets a dangerous precedent, and violates Delta’s own commitment to inclusivity.
Delta AFA calls upon supporters and allies to sign our community petition demanding immediate action to end the widespread harassment of Flight Attendants and to protect our rights and safety on the job.
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To:
Delta Air Lines Management
From:
[Your Name]
We stand with the Flight Attendants of Delta Air Lines who refuse to be silent as their flying partners are harassed. It is profoundly disheartening to witness Delta not only fail to condemn but seemingly encourage bigotry by ceding to the racist harassment of Delta Flight Attendants.
We demand immediate action to end the widespread harassment of Flight Attendants:
1. Protection for Crew Members: Delta Leadership must issue an unambiguous statement that all employees deserve a safe and harassment-free work environment. Furthermore, Delta must implement the prohibition of non-consensual photography of crew members while on duty or in uniform.
2. A Retraction of the Pin Policy Change: Reverse the decision to ban flag pins that are not of the United States, and reinstate the policy allowing pins representing the flags of different nations.
3. Public Apology: Delta leadership must publicly apologize to the targeted crew members.
Delta must stop shifting the blame onto Flight Attendants who wear flag pins. Pins are not the problem. Harassment, and Delta’s failure to stop it, are the problems. We know that if the airline doesn’t support their own workers passengers are subject to harassment too. Fix this now, Delta. Run a safe, respectful airline for everyone.