Delta Airlines has reached a settlement in a high-profile lawsuit brought by a former flight attendant, Aryasp Nejat, who alleged he was fired in retaliation for supporting unionisation and after experiencing what he described as "sexually assaultive touching" during a training event.
The legal case, which was filed in 2024, has been concluded for an undisclosed sum, bringing an end to a dispute that highlights ongoing tensions between the airline and labour organisers.
The Allegations and the Settlement
Aryasp Nejat claimed that during a uniform inspection at his graduation ceremony in October 2025, a Delta flight attendant, Matthew Miller, engaged in non-consensual touching. The lawsuit stated that Miller's hands reached inside Nejat's pants close to his genitals and then moved underneath his vest against his chest.
Following this incident, Nejat made two social media posts that were pro-union and anti-harassment. He alleges he was then suspended without pay and subsequently fired. Nejat stated that while he was told his sexual harassment complaint would be investigated, he never received any follow-up from the company.
Delta Airlines, while settling the case, has maintained that Nejat's claims are without merit. A company spokesperson said the airline settled to avoid the expense and distraction of litigation and reaffirmed its commitment to treating all employees in line with its policies and the law.
A Broader Unionisation Battle
This individual case unfolds against the backdrop of a significant labour movement within Delta. Several major unions, including the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and the Teamsters, are currently engaged in an effort to unionise Delta's 29,000 flight attendants.
This campaign is noted as the largest single-unit organising effort in the United States. Unlike its major competitors, where most workers are unionised, Delta only has unions representing its pilots and dispatchers, but not its flight attendants.
Sara Nelson, president of the AFA-CWA, connected the historical roots of flight attendant unions to the very issues Nejat faced. "One of the reasons that flight attendant unions were originally formed were to root out sexual harassment, assault or sexual exploitation," she said, emphasising that a union contract could have provided due process and protection from retaliation.
Looking Forward
For Aryasp Nejat, the settlement marks a pivotal moment. Now employed as a flight attendant with a different major airline, he hopes his experience will underscore the importance of union representation for Delta's cabin crew.
"I truly believe that Delta values its anti-union campaign over the legal rights of its flight attendants to organise a union and their legal right to make complaints of sexual harassment," Nejat stated. He plans to use the settlement funds to cover his law school costs, turning a personal ordeal into a foundation for his future.
As the massive unionisation drive continues, this case serves as a potent reminder of the intersecting issues of workplace safety, employee rights, and collective bargaining in the modern aviation industry.
