LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - Former flight attendants for American Airlines say it fooled them into retiring early.
American Airlines Inc. is facing a lawsuit filed April 10 in Los Angeles federal court by several of its former flight attendants. They have accused the airline of fraud, negligent misrepresentation and deceit, breach of contract and covenant of good faith and fair dealing, as well as unjust enrichment.
Attorney John E. Lattin from Ostergar, Lattin & Julander represents the plaintiffs.
The dispute revolves around American Airlines' "Voluntary Early Out Program" (VEOP) that was offered to its flight attendants in March 2020. The plaintiffs allege that they were deceived into early retirement under this program.
They first had no interest in early retirement but claim they were given false statements later. American Airlines said it would not make a better offer in the future and pressured employees to take it by denying requests for leaves of absence and telling them not to wear masks during the COVID pandemic, the suit claims.
The plaintiffs accepted the offer and signed a waiver of claims, but the company offered a better package later to other employees, they say.
The plaintiffs include Beth Barnhizer, Pam Bedard, Donna Bill, Sue Brue, Alma D. Casillas, Kim Douglass, Jose Mario V. Encarnacion, Angel Garrido, Patricia Lynne Giordano, Sheryl Fannin Schucter, and Victoria Wisener