Southwest Airlines B-738 'Secret Lavatory Cameras' Lawsuit
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Southwest Prank.
What the hell has happened to this industry? It used to be fun.
Years ago, my company appointed a new firm to clean and valet the a/c. A couple of days previously, I had left a packet of chocolate biscuits in the cockpit and these had become a molten mess; as an act of innocent devilment, I smeared some chocolate on the mirror inside the lavatory. We had a couple of secretaries who stood in as air hostesses and I asked one to inspect the interior while I did the outside checks. It wasn't long before I was summoned up the steps to witness what was thought to be a dereliction on the part of the cleaners. I wiped off a finger-full and ate it. The poor girl nearly fainted but her ashen face changed immediately when I explained things and she became convulsed in laughter.
It's an old airline joke but was new to her and we still laugh about it 40 years later when we occasionally meet. The world has become full of humourless, snowflake litigants. I'm so glad I'm retired from it.
Years ago, my company appointed a new firm to clean and valet the a/c. A couple of days previously, I had left a packet of chocolate biscuits in the cockpit and these had become a molten mess; as an act of innocent devilment, I smeared some chocolate on the mirror inside the lavatory. We had a couple of secretaries who stood in as air hostesses and I asked one to inspect the interior while I did the outside checks. It wasn't long before I was summoned up the steps to witness what was thought to be a dereliction on the part of the cleaners. I wiped off a finger-full and ate it. The poor girl nearly fainted but her ashen face changed immediately when I explained things and she became convulsed in laughter.
It's an old airline joke but was new to her and we still laugh about it 40 years later when we occasionally meet. The world has become full of humourless, snowflake litigants. I'm so glad I'm retired from it.
Also , this is also a narrative on company culture and how it’s OK in an airline to play these” pranks” with the dumb CC with no consequences. There’s a time and place for fun and pranks and the cockpit shouldn’t be it IMHO.
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Media release from SWAPA, the pilots' union, denies claims that the lav video was livestreamed.
Attorney Ron Goldman (not to be confused with the ill-fated waiter) had this response to the SWAPA release:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2019/10/31/southwest-airlines-bathroom-camera-video-pilots-union-poor-attempt-humor/4107824002/
In 2003 two Southwest pilots were fired for one of these over the top pranks:
Published 5:30 am CDT, Friday, April 25, 2003
DALLAS - Where does a pilot pin his wings if he is flying in the nude?
Two pilots, both men, at Southwest Airlines may have the answer to this question after they were fired for apparently taking off their uniforms in the cockpit and flying a plane virtually naked.
"We did conduct a thorough investigation and terminated the two pilots for inappropriate conduct," said Southwest spokeswoman Ginger Hardage, who said she could not comment on any of the details of the incident.
According to sources at the company, a flight attendant saw the pilots in their completely undressed state when summoned into the cockpit on a flight several months ago.
The pilots, who were terminated earlier this month, have appealed, saying they had spilled coffee on their uniforms. The airline did not buy the excuse and sees this as a prank gone awry that cannot be tolerated, the source said.
The names of the pilots or the flight on which the incident occurred have not been released.
Southwest started out as an airline that asked some of its in-flight crew to show a little skin.
When the airline first took to the skies about 30 years ago, its flight attendants dressed in hot pants -- and its pilots wore uniforms.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Southwest Airlines Pilots Association Denies Media Reports Regarding Pilots’ Alleged Use of Cameras to Conduct Video Surveillance in Lavatories
Claims Made by Flight Attendant in Recent Litigation Are False
(DALLAS) — The claims made in recent media reports referencing litigation filed by a Southwest Airlines flight attendant regarding the alleged use of cameras to conduct video surveillance in Southwest Airlines lavatories are completely false.
Southwest Airlines has never placed cameras and never videoed anyone in any lavatory, and the Pilots on Flight 1088 did not video anyone. The incident, which occurred over two years ago, was a poor attempt at humor where the pilot took a selfie video from the chest up, fully clothed, in the lavatory of a completely different airplane months before Flight 1088 and then replayed the exact same selfie video on his iPad when Ms. Steinaker came into the cockpit.
All crewmembers, including the flight attendants, were debriefed on and informed of such by Southwest Airlines after a thorough investigation was conducted by Southwest Airlines that revealed no corroboration of the flight attendant’s allegations. This was information made available to the flight attendants before litigation was filed and before the President of TWU 556, which represents the flight attendants of Southwest Airlines, tweeted about the lawsuit on Saturday, October 26.
Additionally, the pilots deny violating any federal regulations. No further comment on these matters will be made at this time.
Southwest Airlines Pilots Association Denies Media Reports Regarding Pilots’ Alleged Use of Cameras to Conduct Video Surveillance in Lavatories
Claims Made by Flight Attendant in Recent Litigation Are False
(DALLAS) — The claims made in recent media reports referencing litigation filed by a Southwest Airlines flight attendant regarding the alleged use of cameras to conduct video surveillance in Southwest Airlines lavatories are completely false.
Southwest Airlines has never placed cameras and never videoed anyone in any lavatory, and the Pilots on Flight 1088 did not video anyone. The incident, which occurred over two years ago, was a poor attempt at humor where the pilot took a selfie video from the chest up, fully clothed, in the lavatory of a completely different airplane months before Flight 1088 and then replayed the exact same selfie video on his iPad when Ms. Steinaker came into the cockpit.
All crewmembers, including the flight attendants, were debriefed on and informed of such by Southwest Airlines after a thorough investigation was conducted by Southwest Airlines that revealed no corroboration of the flight attendant’s allegations. This was information made available to the flight attendants before litigation was filed and before the President of TWU 556, which represents the flight attendants of Southwest Airlines, tweeted about the lawsuit on Saturday, October 26.
Additionally, the pilots deny violating any federal regulations. No further comment on these matters will be made at this time.
The Steinakers' attorney on Wednesday told The Republic that the pilots union statement supports the allegations made in the lawsuit.
"They (SWAPA) admit that a video was played on an iPad in the cockpit while Ms. Steinaker was there, showing the captain in the lavatory. The purpose of that display cannot reasonably be construed as intending anything other than to horrify Ms. Steinaker by leading her to a reasonable belief the video was live and that her privacy, and that of others on the flight, had been invaded," wrote Ronald L.M. Goldman, a Los Angeles-based aviation attorney representing the Steinakers.
"It is our belief that the cockpit voice recorder would reveal that at no time during the event was it ever suggested by the first officer or captain that it was a joke, not even after Ms. Steinaker told them she was going to report their conduct to SWA management," Goldman wrote.
Goldman also said they have questions about whether Southwest Airlines preserved evidence such as the cockpit voice recorder and the iPad after Steinaker filed her complaint.
"We believe the lawsuit will illuminate those questions and completely vindicate our clients’ allegations. That the pilots thought they would get a laugh at Ms. Steinaker’s expense hardly justifies their conduct. Does SWAPA and SWA seriously contend that sexual harassment and creation of a hostile work environment is just one big justifiable joke?" Goldman said.
"They (SWAPA) admit that a video was played on an iPad in the cockpit while Ms. Steinaker was there, showing the captain in the lavatory. The purpose of that display cannot reasonably be construed as intending anything other than to horrify Ms. Steinaker by leading her to a reasonable belief the video was live and that her privacy, and that of others on the flight, had been invaded," wrote Ronald L.M. Goldman, a Los Angeles-based aviation attorney representing the Steinakers.
"It is our belief that the cockpit voice recorder would reveal that at no time during the event was it ever suggested by the first officer or captain that it was a joke, not even after Ms. Steinaker told them she was going to report their conduct to SWA management," Goldman wrote.
Goldman also said they have questions about whether Southwest Airlines preserved evidence such as the cockpit voice recorder and the iPad after Steinaker filed her complaint.
"We believe the lawsuit will illuminate those questions and completely vindicate our clients’ allegations. That the pilots thought they would get a laugh at Ms. Steinaker’s expense hardly justifies their conduct. Does SWAPA and SWA seriously contend that sexual harassment and creation of a hostile work environment is just one big justifiable joke?" Goldman said.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2019/10/31/southwest-airlines-bathroom-camera-video-pilots-union-poor-attempt-humor/4107824002/
In 2003 two Southwest pilots were fired for one of these over the top pranks:
Southwest pilots set course for nudity
Reuters News ServicePublished 5:30 am CDT, Friday, April 25, 2003
DALLAS - Where does a pilot pin his wings if he is flying in the nude?
Two pilots, both men, at Southwest Airlines may have the answer to this question after they were fired for apparently taking off their uniforms in the cockpit and flying a plane virtually naked.
"We did conduct a thorough investigation and terminated the two pilots for inappropriate conduct," said Southwest spokeswoman Ginger Hardage, who said she could not comment on any of the details of the incident.
According to sources at the company, a flight attendant saw the pilots in their completely undressed state when summoned into the cockpit on a flight several months ago.
The pilots, who were terminated earlier this month, have appealed, saying they had spilled coffee on their uniforms. The airline did not buy the excuse and sees this as a prank gone awry that cannot be tolerated, the source said.
The names of the pilots or the flight on which the incident occurred have not been released.
Southwest started out as an airline that asked some of its in-flight crew to show a little skin.
When the airline first took to the skies about 30 years ago, its flight attendants dressed in hot pants -- and its pilots wore uniforms.
