Southwest Flight Attendant Sues Airline Over Alleged Failure to Accommodate Pet Allergies

A Southwest Airlines flight attendant is suing the airline for disability discrimination, alleging that it failed to accommodate her severe allergy to pet dander.

Chicago-based flight attendant Lisa Patterson has worked for Southwest for more than 25 years. She said her allergy became a concern after the airline introduced its “pets in cabin policy.” Southwest began allowing dogs and cats in aircraft cabins in 2018, which Patterson says led to her developing a hypersensitivity to pet dander.

A year after the policy took effect, Patterson requested an accommodation, warning that exposure to pets inside the cabin could cause her “severe illness.” Months later, one of her supervisors reportedly told her that Southwest could not accommodate her request. According to her complaint, Patterson subsequently experienced “difficulty of breathing” after being exposed to pets.

Southwest Did Not Offer Alternative Arrangements Until 2021

Patterson said Southwest did not begin offering accommodations until 2021. However, she argued that none of the available alternatives were suitable for someone with a severe allergy. According to the complaint, Southwest employees could either swap positions or flights with other crew members to avoid exposure to pets or stay home and forfeit their pay.

Finding another employee willing to swap positions was difficult, as many were unwilling to take Patterson’s place, according to the lawsuit. She suggested to her Southwest supervisors to move pets away from the section where she worked. Unfortunately, her supervisors ignored this as well.

Patterson claims that Southwest’s failure to accommodate her allergy has forced her to forfeit “substantial revenue” or risk becoming ill while working. She argues that the airline’s failure to accommodate her condition constitutes disability discrimination.

Patterson is seeking compensation for lost wages and benefits, as well as the restoration of seniority she says she lost because of the airline’s failure to accommodate her condition.

The complaint states, “In order to receive compensation, Patterson has, on occasion, had to stay on the flights in which a dog or cat was in her part of the cabin, which resulted in her becoming ill and needing medical attention and incurring charges for medical care.”

Southwest has not publicly commented on the lawsuit.