WestJet settles decade-long flight attendant harassment lawsuit for US$3.2 million

WestJet has reached a court-approved settlement of CA$4.5 million (about US$3.2 million) to resolve a long-running class action lawsuit filed by female flight attendants alleging workplace harassment. A judge of the British Columbia Supreme Court approved the deal on August 10, 2026.

The case was originally brought in 2016 by a former flight attendant who said she was sexually assaulted by a pilot during a layover in Hawaii in 2010, and that the airline failed to properly investigate her complaint. The class action was certified by the British Columbia Court of Appeal in April 2022 after WestJet had sought to have it dismissed or moved to another jurisdiction.

The settlement covers current and former female flight attendants who worked for WestJet's mainline operations between April 2014 and February 2021 and did not opt out of the litigation. After legal fees, disbursements and administrative costs are subtracted, the remaining money will be split among roughly 3,452 eligible claimants, each expected to receive around CA$470 (about US$338).

According to the law firm representing the claimants, class members do not need to act immediately. An independent claims administrator is setting up an online portal, after which eligible flight attendants will get instructions and a three-month period to file a claim.

Beyond the payment, the settlement requires WestJet to commission an independent assessment of workplace harassment prevalence, underreporting, and the effectiveness of its reporting and response systems, with a summary of findings to be shared with employees. The settlement does not include any admission of wrongdoing by the airline.