An 82-year-old former Delta Air Lines flight attendant has tentatively settled her age discrimination and wrongful termination case against the company.
Ida Gomez-Llanos' attorneys filed court papers on Wednesday notifying Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elaine Lu that a "conditional" settlement was reached and that they expect to file a request for dismissal with her by June 18. Trial was scheduled to start May 22.
Before losing her job in 2019 at age 78, Gomez-Llanos had 56 years of service in the sky with various companies, including Bonanza Airlines. She joined Delta in 2009 when one of her former employers, Northwest Airlines, merged with Delta. In her complaint brought in November 2019, Gomez-Llanos also sued four flight attendants, whom she alleged were jealous of her choice routes and high salary due to her seniority.
Gomez-Llanos maintained that she was fired under the excuse of having allegedly taken milk and other on-flight goods. But in their court papers, Delta attorneys maintained that unprofessional behavior towards co-workers and safety violations were among a slew of other reasons for the plaintiff's termination.
In a sworn declaration, Gomez-Llanos says she flew an average of 250 hours per month at the highest rate of pay between 2015-19 and was able to do so because of her seniority.
"I believe I was harassed by fellow flight attendants who coveted the flight assignments I was able to hold," Gomez-Llanos said.
Gomez-Llanos, now of Phoenix, said that in 2018, she filed one of many complaints with Delta management.
"In this complaint, I write that I was being bullied and slandered and that I did not deserve it," Gomez-Llanos says. "I pleaded with Delta to stop the spread of vicious rumors about me. Specifically, I explained that a flight attendant had falsely alleged that I had put Bailey's Irish Cream in my coffee. I asked that Delta do something to stop the harassment."
The plaintiff further said she would not have put Bailey's in her coffee because she does not drink alcohol.