A flight attendant said she was abruptly and wrongfully terminated from her job after posting a viral video of herself twerking on an empty plane in her uniform.
Back in November, former Alaska Airlines employee Nelle Diala posted the short clip on her TikTok page captioned, “Ghetto bih till i D-I-E, dont let the uniform fool you.”
On a GoFundMe page, Diala titled, “Support for a Wrongfully Fired Flight Attendant,” she said she filmed the clip to celebrate the end of a probationary period and transitioning out of a difficult upbringing in her hometown of San Francisco. However, the video set Diala back even further in her budding career after her employer told her it violated their social media policy.
Alaska Airlines’ social media policy dictates that employees must “make it clear that your online profiles are personal, and that you do not represent our Companies in social media.” Other airline companies employ policies similar to Alaska’s to maintain a positive brand image and reputation.
“The video went viral overnight, but instead of love and support, it brought unexpected scrutiny. Although it was a poor decision on my behalf I didn’t think it would cost me my dream job,” Diala wrote, adding that the income she earned was going toward her lingerie and dessert business.
She said she tried to defend her actions, painting the video as harmless and fun, but the explanation did nothing to reverse Alaska Airlines’ decision to fire her.
“Without warning, they terminated me. No discussion, no chance to defend myself—and no chance for a thorough and proper investigation,” Diala explained.
She later reposted the same video to her TikTok account with the caption, “What’s wrong with a little twerk before work, people act like they never did that before.”
The sudden termination also prompted Diala to launch a GoFundMe fundraiser to raise $12,000 in financial assistance while she searches for another job. Since launching the page on Jan. 4, she’s raised nearly 2 percent of her goal.
“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. Now, I am trying to figure out how to move forward.”
Diala’s twerking video was met with mixed reactions by hundreds of social media users. Some sided with Diala, calling it cute and fun, while others deemed it unprofessional and were unsurprised that the airline fired her.
“If she was twerking in the uniform, then she was rightfully fired,” one person commented. “Alaska has the right to not have that image associated with their brand or uniform,” another person added.
Diala also took time out to respond to her critics. “Your life must be miserable. Go head and work your lil struggle job to get through the holidays,” she wrote on TikTok.
Her GoFundMe page also attracted mostly negative reactions.
“She should be ashamed for even asking (for) this money,” an Instagram user commented.
“Don’t be fooled y’all. Donate to LA relief efforts instead,” someone else wrote.
