Accuses Airline Of Not Scheduling Pilot She Says Assaulted Her For Flights To Hawaii

A former flight attendant for WestJet airlines has filed charges against a pilot identified only as "Pilot M" alleging sexual assault in a hotel in Maui in January, 2010. And prosecutors have prepared a court summons for the pilot ... should he ever return to the Aloha State.

CTV News reports that former FA Mandalena Lewis filed the suit after she says the airline did not properly investigate her report of the alleged attack by the pilot. Now, she says that WestJet deliberately changed the pilot's schedule so he would not be returning to Hawaii to face charges.

Lewis said that the pilot suddenly became violent while they were having a drink in his room at the Makena Beach Resort. She said he grabbed her, pushed her down on the bed "got between my legs, started to kiss my face, my neck. I was screaming," she said.

She reported the incident thinking he'd be fired. But she claims that they changed the schedule so that they would not have to fly together any more. She said the airline's management apologized profusely, but said they could not do more than change the schedule because the airline could be sued by the pilot.

Lewis says she later talked to another FA who said she was sexually assaulted by the pilot.

A lawsuit charges WestJet with failing to remove a known danger from the workplace. CTV news reports that it has identified eight other women who claim to have been assaulted by the pilot.

WestJet says it plans to defend itself "vigorously" in court.

WestJet CEO Gregg Saretsky said in a public statement that the airline is "reviewing the investigations to ensure they were diligently carried out, and no new information has come to light since the investigations were undertaken six years ago.”

(Image from file)

FMI: www.courts.state.hi.us/general_information/contact/maui.html