Flight Attendant Fired Over OnlyFans Sues For Gender Discrimination

A former United Airlines flight attendant’s lawsuit, which claims she was unjustly fired for maintaining her OnlyFans account, is gaining traction as it moves through the legal system. The flight attendant argues that the airline has permitted similar activities by male colleagues without repercussions, raising questions about potential gender discrimination and unequal treatment within the company. This case is now being allowed to move forward, as it highlights broader issues regarding workplace policies and fairness.

In 2015, Alexa Wawrzenski became a flight attendant at United Airlines in LA. She experienced constant comments about her figure, with coworkers and managers making remarks about her curves, speculating on surgeries, and saying she was "breaking necks." Despite adhering to uniform rules, she was often asked to wear a larger uniform to conceal her shape.

Several Delta flight attendants have unfortunately been fired due to their activities on OnlyFans. In one instance, the presence of a uniform accidentally appearing in the background of a video was sufficient grounds for termination.

In June 2020, United’s Ethics and Compliance Office got an anonymous tip about her OnlyFans account, including photos in her flight attendant uniform and bikini pictures on Instagram with a link to her subscription page. The airline started an investigation in July 2020, and managers questioned her for six hours about her social media and asked for full access to her OnlyFans. She declined, stating her subscriber-only page focused on “diet, fitness, and lifestyle,” unrelated to United.

She states that male flight attendants share pictures in small swimwear next to their uniform photos without facing similar consequences, and a supervisor mentioned different standards for them. She was instructed to remove all uniform images from her Instagram, which she did. However, managers later claimed she overlooked one edited photo where the outline of her uniform was still visible. Court documents suggest that this remaining image determined her outcome.

Weeks after the conclusion of the investigation, the airline United fired her, alleging that she had breached its social media policy. The company accused her of using the brand’s uniform to “solicit” content on a paid site and for disobeying orders to delete all uniform photos from her accounts—citing a “conflict of interest” clause found in its Code of Ethics which explicitly states that flight attendants are prohibited from monetizing adult images, even if they are only tangentially connected to their airline roles.

In response to her termination, the flight attendant filed a lawsuit in October 2020 in the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, claiming gender discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, which she argued were in direct violation of California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act. Initially, an LA trial court dismissed her claims on summary judgment; however, in October 2024, the California Court of Appeal’s Second District reversed this decision, allowing her case to proceed.

The appellate court found that she provided enough evidence that United treated men differently regarding its social media policy. Comments about her body and frequent uniform changes could be seen as serious harassment. After she complained, she faced possible retaliation.

She wants her job back, lost pay, and compensation for emotional distress. In response, the airline maintains that her OnlyFans promotion violated company policy and posed a risk to its reputation.

Several Delta flight attendants have unfortunately been fired due to their activities on OnlyFans. In one instance, the presence of a uniform accidentally appearing in the background of a video was sufficient grounds for termination.

Delta has established clear guidelines that expressly prohibit influencers from posting any content while in uniform. In another reported case, a flight attendant had their OnlyFans and Instagram accounts interconnected, and the Instagram account explicitly referenced Delta, drawing unwanted attention. Additionally, another crew member faced scrutiny after creating videos in his layover hotel, prompting Delta to investigate his actions since he was utilizing the layover location for his content creation.

It is often observed that crew members, who are supposed to be friends, sometimes report on each other’s activities, leading to further complications.

In the early days of blogging, before social media became popular, Delta Air Lines flight attendant Ellen Simonetti became a symbol of the clash between online expression and workplace rules. She started her blog, Queen of Sky: Diary of a Dysfunctional Flight Attendant, in September 2003. However, a year later, she was suspended and then fired for sharing photos of herself in uniform and on planes, along with her opinions. Although she didn’t name her employer, some of her photos were somewhat suggestive. At that time, many other flight attendants faced no consequences for similar actions.

Ultimately, there’s a niche for just about everything in today’s diverse marketplace, as one American Airlines flight attendant was seen advising colleagues on effective strategies for successfully selling feet photos online – a trend that gained significant traction during pandemic-era furloughs.

If someone finds themselves being fired for their involvement with OnlyFans, the best piece of advice might be to explore job opportunities with the upstart Global Airlines, since a key investor in that company happens to be a co-founder of the well-known adult monetization site, which could create a uniquely favorable situation for those with such experience.