Alaska Airlines co-pilot Betty Pina had two glasses of wine on a layover in June of 2017 brought to her by the captain she was paired with for a three-day assignment. The next thing Pina remembers is waking up in a vomit-soaked bed, naked from the waist down. Pina, realizing her and the captain had been in the same bed, found and pulled on her pants, stumbled into the bathroom and vomited again.
Pina, a 39-year-old military veteran alleges in a lawsuit that Alaska Airlines allowed the captain to drug and rape her. Further, Pina alleges that the actions of the captain, the supervising officer on the flight, violated state laws against discrimination, sexual assault, and negligence. After telling the airline’s human resources official that she had been sexually assaulted, she was told to take paid leave and not discuss the details of the investigation. The company never took any corrective action, and the captain is reported to still remain employed by the airline.
The Alaska Airline captain’s grossly abusive actions epitomize the purpose and necessity of the #metoo movement. It also illustrates the need for companies and organizations to provide the appropriate training and responses to sexual assault. The attorneys at Abraham Watkins have the right experience, knowledge, and resources necessary to hold these companies and organizations accountable. It’s time for a culture change. If you or someone you know has been violated inappropriately in a workplace setting, contact an attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling 713-231-9360 or 1-888-229-5094 for your free consultation.