WESTJET RESPONDS TO ALLEGATIONS

Posted on 03/07/2016

WestJet CEO Gregg Saretsky has responded to a lawsuit filed by a former flight attendant who says the company failed to take action after she was allegedly sexually assaulted by a pilot.

Saretsky says in an online statement that the company will be filing a statement of defence in the case and that WestJet takes allegations of sexual assault seriously.He says the company investigated the woman's allegations six years ago and the investigations were subsequently closed.According to Saretsky the airline is reviewing the investigations to ensure they were done diligently and that no new information has come to light in recent years.Airline spokeswoman Lauren Stewart says both the pilot and another flight attendant named in the court filing have been removed from active flying duty while the review is underway.Former flight attendant Mandalena Lewis says in her lawsuit the company failed to respond adequately after she reported an alleged sexual assault by a pilot during a stopover in Hawaii in 2010.None of the allegations has been proven, but Lewis says she met another flight attendant last year who alleged she was told by WestJet to keep quiet after she reported an alleged sexual assault by the same pilot.