Southwest Airlines flight attendant sues over pet allergy discrimination

Lisa Patterson, a Chicago-based Southwest Airlines flight attendant with over 25 years of service, has filed a disability discrimination lawsuit against the carrier. Patterson alleges the airline failed to accommodate her severe hypersensitivity to pet dander following the 2018 implementation of a policy allowing small cats and dogs in aircraft cabins.

Patterson claims that exposure to pets causes her to become “violently ill” and results in “difficulty breathing.” According to the complaint, she requested accommodations from company leadership shortly after the pet policy began, but her requests were denied.

While Southwest introduced some accommodations for allergic crew members in 2021, Patterson argues these options are inadequate. The current policy allows employees to swap positions or flights with other crew members to avoid pets, or alternatively, to miss work without pay. Patterson alleges that the refusal to provide meaningful accommodations has forced her to forgo trips and lost wages.