Flight attendant sues Southwest Airlines over hidden bathroom cam
A flight attendant is suing Southwest Airlines for retaliation after she reported two pilots for livestreaming bathroom video to their cockpit.
According to a lawsuit first reported by the Arizona Republic, when Renee Steinaker was working a flight between Phoenix and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Capt. Terry Graham asked her to cover for him in the cockpit while he used the restroom.
At least two authorized people are required to be in the cockpit at all times.
When Graham went to the restroom, Steinaker claims an iPad mounted to the windshield showed a livestream from the lavatory.
The lawsuit claims the co-pilot, Ryan Russell, panicked when she asked about the camera, and claimed they were part of new top-secret security measures implemented by the airline.
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Not believing her coworker, Steinaker took a photo of the iPad with her cellphone. Though crewmembers reported the pair of pilots, both reportedly still fly with the airline today, according to the lawsuit. Steinaker claims she was told to not speak of the incident further. The lawsuit claims Steinaker and her husband, also a flight attendant, were stalked, monitored by managers in a "threatening and bizarre manner" and subjected to an increased number of performance audits afterward.
Southwest Airlines emailed a statement to the newspaper, noting that the carrier does not use cameras in washrooms.
“The safety and security of our employees and customers is Southwest’s uncompromising priority," the airline said. "At this time, we have no other comment on the pending litigation.”
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Attorneys for the pilots haven't yet responded to requests for comment, though court documents show they deny the allegations.