Nelle Diala, a former flight attendant for Alaska Airlines, lost what she referred to as her “dream job” after only six months with the company due to uploading a video of herself twerking while wearing her uniform.
The 20-second clip violated the airline’s social media guidelines and left Diala without a source of income. In her desperation, she opened a GoFundMe campaign to seek financial support to rebuild her life.
“Losing my job was devastating. I’ve always been careful about what I share online, and I never thought this video, which didn’t even mention the airline by name, would cost me my career,” Diala explained on the site.
The fundraiser has a goal of $12,000 and is intended to cover her expenses while she looks for another flight attendant position, although she has only managed to receive $182 so far.
A flight attendant got fired after uploading a video of herself twerking while in uniform. She set up a GoFundMe page to cover her expenses
Image credits: alphanelle
“Ghetto till I die, don’t let the uniform fool you,” the video was captioned, which saw Diala twerking in celebration of her probatory period ending.
The clip quickly went viral, garnering as much attention as it did criticism, with netizens labeling her as “unprofessional” and being particularly upset by her decision to perform the dance in her Alaska Airlines uniform.
“Lack of professionalism. Why encourage such behavior?” one viewer asked.
Image credits: _jvnelle415
“The fact that you don’t respect your job is one thing, but doing it while in uniform and at work speaks volumes,” another pointed out. “You’re the brand ambassador. It's not a good look.”
The backlash did little to make Diala reflect, as instead of the remorse she showed on her GoFundMe page, she reposted the video with a new caption that read:
“What’s wrong with a little twerk before work? Can’t even be yourself anymore without the world being so sensitive.”
Image credits: _jvnelle415
She also posted a strange clip of herself flaunting a bundle of cash while wearing what seemed to be expensive clothing in her house, in response to one of her viewers asking if she was worried about her situation.
The woman was using the money from her job in aviation to fund two side projects: a lingerie shop and a dessert business
Diala went on to accuse the airline of discrimination, stating that the company did not offer her a chance to explain her side of the story or defend herself, painting her firing as a case of “wrongful termination.”
“I loved my job,” she said, explaining how obtaining it was a shining light in an otherwise dark moment of her life, with relationship troubles and dealing with the death of her two English bulldogs.
Image credits: gofundme.com
“Meeting new people, seeing the world, and creating a safe, welcoming environment for passengers. It wasn’t always easy, but I was proud of what I did,” she added.
The position also allowed Diala to fund two side ventures, a lingerie shop and a dessert business she was interested in growing.
Despite the almost unilateral backlash and the tepid response her fundraiser received, Diala still hopes for a career in aviation. For now, she will focus on her two projects while seeking support from those who believe she deserves another chance.
The Association of Flight Attendants has warned workers against posting content on social media that could lead to disciplinary action by their employers
Image credits: alphanelle
Alaska Airlines, like many others, adheres to the behavioral guidelines put forth by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) on April 28, 2015.
The document explicitly mentions that attendants should be discreet when posting on social media platforms—especially while wearing company uniforms.
“Never post inappropriate work or other personal information. If your post can lead to discipline by your supervisor at work or lead to civil liability or criminal charges, it is inappropriate,” the paper read.
Image credits: figure8.lingerie
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), an American union in favor of said workers, clarified that being fired for violating a company’s social media guidelines does not constitute wrongful termination.
“Contrary to popular belief, the First Amendment does not apply in a private sector workplace like American Airlines and does not prohibit management from disciplining or discharging flight attendants for social media posts,” the union explained.
While unions can protest disciplinary actions, the grievances are ultimately decided by neutral arbitrators.
While some of her followers offered her support, most netizens had little sympathy for the former flight attendant, believing her behavior to be inappropriate
Image credits: figure8.lingerie
“In her uniform and on the plane. No, she violated the airline’s policy, and they have a right to terminate her,” one user said.
“You don't respect the uniform, you don't respect your job then,” another wrote.
Others were offended by her asking for money via a GoFundMe page, particularly considering the difficult situation the country is in.
“Shameless. I’d rather donate to LA fires and those affected by war losing their lives,” a reader stated.
“No thanks. I'm donating to the animal shelter that’s helping the animals caught in the wildfire instead,” another said.
"No one should fund her." Netizens refused to donate to Diala's GoFundMe, feeling the airline was right to terminate her
