WestJet agrees to $4.5 million settlement in long-running flight attendant harassment suit

Canadian airline WestJet has agreed to pay 4.5 million Canadian dollars to settle a decade-long class-action lawsuit brought by thousands of female flight attendants over workplace harassment.

A British Columbia Supreme Court judge approved the final agreement on Monday, concluding negotiations that began in June. The settlement funds will be distributed among 3,452 current and former flight attendants after deducting legal fees and administrative costs.

The lawsuit was initially filed in 2016 by former flight attendant Mandalena Lewis, who alleged that a pilot sexually assaulted her during a 2010 layover in Hawaii and that the company failed to take appropriate investigative action after she reported the incident. Lewis criticized the final terms, stating that the agreement failed to deliver complete justice for the victims.

The settlement contains no admission of guilt by WestJet, nor does it mandate compulsory anti-harassment training for flight crews. However, the carrier agreed to commission an independent inquiry to review its reporting procedures, workplace culture, and underreporting issues, affirming its commitment to strengthening employee safety measures.