Court Orders WestJet to Release Harassment Files in Flight Attendant Class-Action Lawsuit

WestJet has been ordered by the B.C. Supreme Court to release all files related to harassment complaints involving flight attendants during a class period spanning April 4, 2014, to February 28, 2021.

Justice Jacqueline Hughes, in a ruling posted Friday, said the airline's delay in providing documents has been "potentially adversarial" and contributed to pushing the trial date to October 2025.

The lawsuit, filed in 2016, alleges that WestJet violated its employment contracts with flight attendants by failing to fulfill its "promise" of a harassment-free workplace.

Scope of Document Release

WestJet had sought to limit document production to complaints by female flight attendants against male pilots who were part of the class-action lawsuit. However, Hughes ruled that all harassment complaints by flight attendants during the class period — regardless of whom they were against — must be disclosed.

WestJet has so far handed over 24 harassment complaints, but Hughes noted the company’s own statistics suggest "significantly more" occurred.

The ruling cites 16 harassment complaints logged in the last quarter of 2018 and 19 complaints in the first quarter of 2022. Some of the complaints involve allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Limits on Scope

Lead plaintiff Mandalena Lewis had requested files covering harassment complaints across WestJet’s entire workforce, but Hughes limited the scope to flight attendants, ruling the case pertains specifically to their employment contracts.

"It remains unclear how the plaintiff says WestJet's alleged failure to provide a harassment‑free workplace for, e.g., mechanics, is relevant," the ruling said.

Order and Timeline

Justice Hughes gave WestJet 45 days to produce the additional files, citing the holiday season.

The class-action lawsuit is part of a larger effort to address allegations of power imbalances and misconduct within the airline.

WestJet has not yet responded publicly to the latest ruling.