Lisa Diane Patterson, a Southwest Airlines flight attendant based in Chicago who has worked for the carrier since 1998, filed a federal lawsuit in Illinois on October 20 alleging disability discrimination. Patterson says exposure to pet dander causes severe reactions, including difficulty breathing.
Southwest initially told Patterson no accommodation could be made. The airline later offered three options: swap positions with another flight attendant to move away from animals, switch to a different flight without pets, or go home without pay if no alternative flight was available.
Patterson alleges those options failed to solve the problem. Colleagues were generally unwilling to exchange positions, and finding another suitable flight proved difficult. She also says Southwest rejected proposals to move passengers with pets away from her assigned section.
Patterson's lawsuit seeks damages and other relief under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Southwest has not publicly addressed the lawsuit.