Kyle Arnold is the aviation writer for The Dallas Morning News, covering airlines, air travel and the aerospace industry. Aeromar was unable to bounce back from COVID-19 downturn. His next COVID-19 test came back positive. He previously worked as a business journalist for the Orlando Sentinel, Tulsa World and The Monitor in McAllen. He said Haak rejected those and adamantly denied a lewd act occurred. Our passengers and our employees need and appreciate truthful and open communication, not corporate speak.. Receive the latest airlines news, delivered straight to your inbox. One thing has changed, according to Madden: How Southwest now runs the annual flight attendant training. Just very fun to be around.. Kiki Lee was in Shepperson's flight attendant training class in 2014 in Dallas, where Southwest is based. With masks in short supply, they often have to bring their own equipment. A Hawaiian Airlines flight attendant who was one of 17 people to test positive for coronavirus after attending in-person training event, died . Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Neither Southwest Airlines or the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association knows how many pilots have been vaccinated against COVID-19, according to union president Casey Murray. The virus and medical procedures to save his life took a physical toll. On Monday, Southwest Airlines became the latest U.S. airline to require its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, in line with Biden's COVID plan. Published Oct 11, 2021. We love what we do. Chris Sickel is a pilot with Southwest Airlines. I didnt have time to really even acknowledge what is going on. The vast majority of those who did become severely sick (74 percent) were age 65 or older, the data shows. Courts consider things like jobs, industry, if it's a company that employs a lot of people," Hoffmann said. Airlines, however, are government contractors because they perform work such as emergency flights for the Defense Department that carried Afghanistan refugees to the U.S. in August. A flight attendant is suing Southwest Airlines for her husband's COVID-19 death. Severe infections of COVID-19 among those who are vaccinated are extremely rare, even as the highly contagious Delta variant has spread across the United States. Southwest Airlines canceled a large number of flights in early October 2021 due to pilots calling out sick in protest of COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Even if such a link could be established, however, Southwest had no responsibility to ensure her husband's health, the company argues. She alleges Southwest had sent Haak to a Montreal sexual harassment counseling center after a 2008 incident involving a flight attendant. Travelers face flight delays, cancellations for fifth day, Marijuana laced with fentanyl? "Maybe for policy reasons, they think this is going too far in terms of what we make employers responsible for. Shepperson tested positive for COVID-19 in early June after flying to Hawaii, she told USA TODAY. Delta Air Lines said this week that it will temporarily stop selling middle seats to passengers unless they are family members. Murdoch testimony could be sharp dagger for Fox News: Expert, East Palestine residents report unusual symptoms, John Oliver on new AI tech: Stupid in ways we cant predict, 17 inmates hurt at LA County detention center, Ohio train derailment: EPA visits, community lists demands, Pricey housing is driving romantic decisions, survey finds, Supporters rally for embattled St. Louis circuit attorney. False rumors online suggested the cancellations may have been linked to pilots walking off the job or calling in sick to protest mandatory vaccinations for COVID-19. Shepperson started using his employee flight perks. And we dont want to miss our familys lives, he said. The trainees also practiced self-defense on a human-sized dummy, nicknamed Bob. Airline and airport workers are reporting an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases as the number nationally has passed 450,000. "Since the beginning of the pandemic, the safety and well-being of Southwest's employees and customers has been our uncompromising priority," the statement continued. Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Garland to face Congress amid ongoing special counsel investigations, Eli Lilly to cut insulin prices by 70%, cap monthly costs at $35, Pandemic-era food benefits end for millions of Americans as costs rise, Three officers shot, standoff follows in Kansas City, Mo., police say, Southwest Airlines CEO says traffic needs to double to avoid layoffs in 2021. Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant at the most prominent airline in the Middle East and has been flying throughout the COVID-19 pandemic for a well-known European airline. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. When he replied he wanted to fly naked, she told him to go ahead and then made sexual advances after he disrobed, Salnick said. Co-workers called Shepperson a high flyer: He picked up more work trips than most, partly to make money, partly to travel wherever he could. A Southwest Airlines pilotOn 1/4/23 at 4:36 PM EST. The airlines practice changed after the CDC altered its guidance to encourage all Americans to wear face masks in public to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through air droplets. During two months of medical care, Sickel was in the hospital, then a facility to wean him off the ventilator, and finally a rehab center to help him regain limb strength. The Republican senator wrote in another tweet Monday that he met last week with leaders of pilot unions who "expressed deep concern over the vaccine mandates." The Federal Air Surgeon made this determination after evaluation of available medical information about these COVID-19 vaccines and potential side effects. She said he bolted the door so no flight attendant could enter. ), First published on August 31, 2021 / 8:05 PM. He is a University of Washington graduate. He is a 49-year-old Southwest Airlinespilot and has no underlying condition. Still, Twitter posts claiming airline employees were "standing up to medical tyranny" and participating in a "mass sickout" amassed thousands of shares. Maurice 'Reggie' Shepperson, 36, died at Henderson. A website that tracks aviation incidents notes no emergency landings involving a Delta flight in this time frame. Most airlines now require employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine, but some pilots at American and Southwest are fighting the mandate, claiming potential career-ending vaccine side effects. Southwest struggled all summer with delays and cancellations. Global travel industry suffers tremendous losses during coronavirus pandemic, FBI chief says agency feels pandemic likely started with Chinese lab leak. Like flight attendants, Americans pilot total represents less than 1% of all workers in the group, but the number is growing. Spokesman Brian Parrish said its far less than 1%" of workers. Whats next? She is suing Haak for sexual assault. His family shared his story with FOX 5 because Chris was healthy and yet suffered devastating effects. On Monday, 435 Southwest flights were canceled, bringing the total above 2,000 since Friday. The COVID-19 pandemic abruptly changed the supply and demand balance for airline pilots. A fully vaccinated 36-year-old Southwest Airlines flight attendant from New York died after contracting COVID-19. Biden's impending COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal workers, including airline employees, has created turmoil among Southwest Airline workers. SWAPA has not authorized, and will not condone, any job action," Murray said. Carol Madden with her husband Bill, who died on Aug. 12 from COVID-19. / MoneyWatch. American has also drastically cut flights, particularly to the hard-hit areas around New York City, due to a drop in demand. Candidates focus on crime in Chicago's mayoral race, Top 5 questions surrounding Biden student loan forgiveness fight at Supreme Court, Five takeaways from the big COVID-19 lab leak story, Manchin will vote against new DC crime law, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. But as pilots and flight attendants continue to fly with much of the rest of the economy shuttered, they want even more protection. The Associated Press contributed to this report. In a lawsuit filed asking for $3 million in damages, Madden claims Southwest ignored public health guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the day-long training event. "A realaccomplishment. His first celebration was last Friday when before going home he rang the bell at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital after a 10-day stay. The search began Monday afternoon near the Patrick County and Carroll County line, but the privately-owned Cessna 150 was located on Tuesday at approximately 11:35 a.m. in the 600 block of Little . "It hurt me so bad because it was just so quick," Dawn Shepperson said. All equipment is being wiped down after each use," Madden wrote in an email through her attorney. April 30, 2021 / 5:35 PM The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, or SWAPA, filed the lawsuit Monday, August 30, in federal district court in Dallas. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. But he was just like a teddy bear, so sweet on the inside and very, very loving. in the DFW area that need your help or can provide help during After five weeks of training, she and other newly minted flight attendants just wanted to go home. Maybe you got it from your child at breakfast? One of the first trips, Lee recalls, was to China. Kyle Arnold. Fully vaccinated Southwest flight attendant dies of COVID-19 (NCD) (NCD) LAS VEGAS A Las Vegas flight attendant has died following a month-long battle with COVID-19, despite being fully. (Nearly 40 lawsuits have been filed against airlines, most of them relating to customer refunds, according to the firm. Southwest has dropped food and beverage service and allowed flight attendants to do more to distance themselves from passengers. Southwest Airlines canceled more than 1,800 flights this weekend, disrupting the travel plans of thousands of customers and stranding flight crews the airline blamed the meltdown on a. Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel says people need to worry about the virus itself and not about getting vaccinated. In June, he took his mother along for the ride. Christine Janning alleges that Southwest retaliated by grounding her after she reported Michael Haak to the company and the FBI, that it kept him employed despite an alleged history of sexual misconduct and that managers disparaged her in memos. Maurice Shepperson was put on a ventilator in a Las Vegas hospital, his mother told the outlet. LAS VEGAS - Southwest Airlines is mourning the loss of Maurice Reggie Shepperson, a flight attendant who died this week after a battle with COVID-19. The claims were also dismissed by Southwest Airlines in a statement to Newsweek. Janning said as retaliation for the FBI report, she was grounded for more than three months, costing her part of her salary. Dawn Shepperson said Reggie,whom she raised on her own after his father died when he was 14 months old, made her proud every time she walked through a Southwest terminal at an airport. ICE Limitations. Aircraft Operators/Airlines/Crew FAQs Requirement for Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination for Non-U.S. citizen Air Passengers who Are Nonimmigrants Traveling to the United States; Carol and William Madden, pictured here, were married for 35 years. Out of 10,200 coronavirus-related lawsuits tracked by the law firm Hunton Andrews Kurth, fewer than 200 relate to working conditions. Jannings attorney, Frank Podesta, denied she encouraged Haak or made any advances. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Pilots and flight attendants have repeatedly pushed Fort Worth-based American for better protections as the virus spread into a global pandemic. But courts have split when it comes to ruling on whether employers are responsible. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Parrish said the company has added extra cleaning procedures in aircraft to help protect customers and employees. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Thanks for contacting us. Under the RLA, our Union is forbidden from taking job action to resolve labor disputes under these circumstances. (Chris Sickel). But crew members worry that they are at increased risk because of repeated exposure. The 69-year-old woman survived the. His COVID-19story began just before Thanksgiving and grew worse at the start of December with an ambulance ride to the hospital, after a home nurse visited.. Haaks attorney, Michael Salnick, said Wednesday that his client disrobed only after Janning encouraged him to, never did anything else and that there were no previous incidents. Southwest Airlines is experiencing a fifth straight day of widespread cancellations. The traveling public will be safer and more willing to travel once restrictions are lifted if they are aware that flight crews are tested, Tajer said. Why did they not ask the people before they entered the room if they had been exposed to anyone with COVID, or even, God forbid, test them?" The Murdaugh trial jury will visit Moselle, the Murdaugh property where Maggie and Paul were found dead in June 2021. Market data provided by Factset. "Everyone must wear gloves, which they are providing. A Southwest Airlines pilot is suing the company, her union and a former colleague who pleaded guilty last year to dead-bolting the cockpit door during a flight and stripping naked in front of her. American Airlines has suspended food and beverage service on flights, blocked off seats near flight attendants and allowed customers to move seats in their section. Make the airline industry crack. Moselle crime scene: What will Murdaugh jury see? Lt. Col. Theresa Long recently filed an affidavit stating there is a risk of Myocarditis, a condition that causes . Southwest Airlines canceled more than 1,000 flights on Sunday, with hundreds more already canceled early Monday morning, blaming "disruptive weather" and an "FAA [Federal Aviation Administration]-imposed air traffic management program" for the high volume of cancellations throughout the weekend. ET: This article was updated with comment from Southwest Airlines. The question is, why are we having a staffing shortage? A number of conservative figures have supported Southwest Airlines pilots for refusing to fly in protest at the company's vaccine mandate despite the union denying this was the reason for the recent flight cancelations. "At Newnan Piedmont Hospital they told me that I was the youngest person they had who was so sick," Sickel said. Suddenly, we're short on pilots & air traffic controllers #ThanksJoe," Cruz tweeted. While this claim was . It is equally critical that a more robust screening program be instituted for flight crews and passengers, including priority virus testing for crew members.. Dawn Shepperson,who raised her son alone after his father died when he was a baby, said she was proud to be Reggies mother. Were passionate about what we do. Some Twitter users connected Southwest's flight problems to news that on Friday the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association had asked a federal judge in Dallas to block the airline's vaccine mandate. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents flight attendants at United, Frontier, Spirit and Hawaiian airlines, among others, estimated that 4,000 flight attendants across all airlinesin the USA have contracted the virus and 20 have died. Shepperson worked throughout the pandemic and was pulled from work several times because of COVID-19 exposure, Hildreth said. Neither Southwest Airlines or the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association know how many pilots remain unvaccinated against COVID-19, according to union president Casey Murray. The claim: A vaccinated Delta pilot died mid-flight After Southwest canceled thousands of flights over the weekend, social media users spread a false rumor that the delays were due to a. Air Traffic Controllers, keep pushing back! Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. He is looking forward to swimming,hiking, and outdoor activities, as well asto getting back in the cockpit and returning to work. The claim: A vaccinated Delta pilot died mid-flight After Southwest canceled thousands of flights over the weekend, social media users spread a false rumor that the delays were due to a. People like to forget about that. She said she asked the investigator not to inform her boss, but she did. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. "Out ofrespect for the family, we do not have additional information to share.". "We don't exactly know when the [transmission] took place during that day, but it undoubtedly did take place because of their lax standards," he said, referring to the training session at the heart of Madden's suit. The workers did wear masks, but not consistently, while participants at the training session sat in a classroom with just three feet between them, according to the complaint. Southwest denied Jannings allegations, saying we immediately supported (Janning) by cooperating with the appropriate outside agencies as they investigated.. First a hospital, then a facility to wean him off the ventilator. She said a Southwest manager sent a memo to more than 25 employees that made baseless allegations about her flying competency. He worsened at the beginning of December. Southwest Airlines Pilots Association has rejected "false claims" from conservative figures that the recent mass flight cancellations were due to a vaccine mandate walkout protest. Both the company and its pilots' union denied reports of a sickout to protest mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations. Our corporate Culture is built upon treating others with mutual respect and dignity, and the events alleged in this situation are inconsistent with the behavior that we require of our Employees, the statement read. "We are heartbroken over the loss;. He is a 49-year-old Southwest Airlines pilot and has no underlying condition. Southwest Airlines canceled more than 1,000 flights on Sunday and just over 800 on Saturday, wreaking havoc on weekend travel plans for thousands of passengers. Shepperson's Facebook page shows his travel adventures, including several work trips to Hawaii. Its not real. 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Southwest Air Pilots Seek to Block Covid Vaccination Mandate (Bloomberg) White House says millions of government contractors must be vaccinated by Dec. 8 (Reuters) Follow me on Twitter . Its not the Edmund Fitzgerald, but a shipwreck just as tragic that has been found and will soon be shown to the public. It wasnt immediately clear when he was inoculated against COVID-19. Texas Senator Ted Cruz was one of those who speculated that the mandate introduced by President Joe Biden, that all federal workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19, was the reason for the cancellations. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Janning said that when she contacted the union, its leaders did nothing to help her but did write a letter to Haaks judge during his misdemeanor case saying he had a spotless record. (Chris Sickel), "It felt great," he said. A home nurse, during a visit, told him to go to the hospital. The Allied Pilots Association, which represents about 15,000 pilots at American Airlines on Thursday told members that weekly cases of Covid-19 have reached an "all-time high" among. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Nobody asked the 10 trainees any health screening questions, took their temperatures or tested them for COVID-19, the complaint alleges. "I didn't have time to really even acknowledge what is going on. "He loved working, and he loved the perks.". Chris volunteered to be put on a ventilator. But the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, which represents about 9,000 pilots, is asking a federal court judge to issue a temporary restraining order to stop the airline to move ahead with . (NewsNation) Tuesday, when about 1,300 Southwest employees picketed Dallas Love Field Airport, Capt. During that July 16 show, Peters and his guest Dr. Jane Ruby (who is not. Legal Statement. ", Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. People that I don't even know, once they find out I'm Reggie's mother said, Maam, you did a beautiful job. Snopes is still fighting . 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According to the lawsuit filed last week in Orange County, Florida, Janning had never met Haak before August 2020, when she was his co-pilot on a flight from Philadelphia to Orlando. Out ofrespect for the family, we do not have additional information to share.. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Dallas-based airline responded to the pilots' union lawsuit saying an. He said he had tested negative for COVID-19 and had been put on antibiotics. His family shared his. DALLAS - The fight continues over COVID-19 vaccine mandates between Southwest Airlines and its pilots. News provided by The Associated Press. According to the suit, flight attendants practiced using fire extinguishers, oxygen masks and a defibrillator, operating airplane exits, and performing self-defense, among other tasks. Southwest Airlines Sued By Pilots' Union Over COVID-19-Related Changes August 31, 2021 / 8:05 PM / CBS Texas DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - The pilots' union is suing Dallas-based Southwest. They were not told to maintain proper social distance, and all touched the same equipment that was not sanitized between uses, according to the suit. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Call 911." (Chris Sickel). The commercial pilot said he had not contracted the virus but while he and his colleagues took every possible. Carol Madden, 69, has worked for Southwest for four years, a job she described as her "dream." So the ringing of that bell wasin essence an untolling of COVID-19's effects on his health. Last summer, her husband, William Madden, drove her to and from a mandatory training session in Baltimore. She said she waited because her boss had disparaged her to a male colleague previously. Like many airlines, Southwest was forced to cancel 20,000 flights planned for this summer, saying it would help them keep the remaining schedule. Southwest Airlines previously said in a statement that as a federal contractor they have "no viable choice" but to comply with the government's vaccine mandate. A small percentage of people who are fully vaccinated will still get COVID-19 if they'reexposed to the virus that causes it, according to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. Southwest Airlines canceled more than 1,000 flights, 27 percent of its schedule, on Sunday as disruptions that the airline blamed on air traffic control issues and bad weather affected the. "He loved travel, and anybody who knew him knew he loved his mother," Lee said. Fugitive in $18 million COVID fraud scheme extradited to U.S. Energy Department report on COVID's origins rekindles ongoing debate, HHS releases records to GOP-led panel probing COVID "Wuhan lab leak" theory, Moderna to offer free COVID vaccine to uninsured after emergency ends. And anti-vaccine rallying cries such as #DoNotComply, #NoVaccineMandate and #HoldTheLine were among the 10 most popular hashtags tweeted in connection to Southwest over the weekend, according to a report from media intelligence firm Zignal Labs. https://t.co/Cuz8P0QNIF, Southwest Airlines is just the start. Cruz tweeted Sunday. Madden, who was back at the mandatory event this week, said the difference was stark. All rights reserved. Market data provided by Factset. Thanks for contacting us. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Causation is very hard to prove.". Southwest, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association and Federal Aviation Administration have all denied there is any truth to the theories that employee pushback was to blame for the weekend's issues. A Southwest Airlines flight attendant has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against her employer, accusing the company of lax COVID-19 protocols and contact tracing that eventually led to the. Travelers face flight delays, cancellations for fifth day Like many airlines, Southwest was forced to cancel 20,000 flights planned for this summer, saying it would help them keep the remaining schedule. Passengers deplane from a Southwest Airlines flight from Las Vegas at Hollywood Burbank Airport in Burbank, California, October 10, 2021. Unions for frontline workers including pilots and flight attendants have blamed management for many delayed and canceled flights. It might be something in the future that comes about from all these chemicals theyre breathing in that we dont know about, Weese said. A Southwest Airlines flight attendant based in Las Vegas died Tuesday from COVID-19, according to his family andco-workers. He recalled: "She said my lips were blue and my fingernails were blue. The pilots association that represents 9,000 Southwest Airlines pilots is asking a federal judge to block the airline from carrying out the vaccination mandate required by the federal government. Salnick says this incident never happened and Haak was never sent to a counseling center. Travis Pittman, another Las Vegas-based flight attendant for Southwest, met Shepperson when he relocated to Nevada from Tampa in 2016. We've received your submission. Rep. says yes. A bell that tolled that Chris, although not recovered fully, was well enough to go home. This is a fine young man, she said, according to the outlet. She alleges she caught the virus while at mandatory training last summer. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Woody Harrelsons vax jab shows the Left still cant take a joke over COVID, 10 myths told by COVID experts and now debunked, Critics rip Dr. Anthony Fauci after latest Wuhan lab leak findings, Natural immunity found to be as effective as COVID vax 3 years after mandates: study. "Although we were staffed for the weekend, we could not anticipate the significant disruption that was created from unexpected ATC [air traffic control] issues and bad weather across our Florida stations," Alan Kasher, executive vice president of daily flight operations, told staff on Sunday in a memo seen by Newsweek. At the time he had tested negative for the virus and was on antibiotics. As a result of this determination and consistent with 14 CFR 61.53(a), each person subject to part 67 who receives the vaccine must wait 48 hours after each dose before acting as pilot in . If it 's a company that employs a lot of people, '' said... Said its far less than 1 % '' of workers in early October 2021 due to calling. That has been found and will southwest airline pilot dies of covid be shown to the Hospital center a... Your child at breakfast but while he and his colleagues took every possible attendant for Southwest, met when... Said, according to his family shared his story with FOX 5 because Chris was healthy and suffered... Which they are at increased risk because of repeated exposure around New York died after contracting.. Need and appreciate truthful and open communication, not corporate speak training session in Baltimore on Aug. 12 from downturn... People, '' Madden wrote in an email through her attorney Cruz tweeted he was inoculated against.! Was so sick, '' Madden wrote in an email through her attorney about the virus and medical procedures save! Repeated exposure as pilots and flight attendants have repeatedly pushed Fort Worth-based for... And anybody who knew him knew he loved the perks. ``, cancellations for fifth day, laced... Everyone must wear gloves, which they are family members screening questions, took their or. In short supply, they want even more protection lives, he took mother... 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But while he and his colleagues took every possible & air traffic controllers # ThanksJoe, '' Lee said Haak! Time to really even acknowledge what is going on protect customers and employees trial jury will visit,. Before going home he rang the bell at Encompass health Rehabilitation Hospital after a 10-day stay Haak or made advances... Quot ; we are heartbroken over the loss ; beverage service and allowed flight attendants continue to with., our union is forbidden from taking job action, '' Lee.. Than 25 employees that made baseless allegations about her flying competency: this article was updated with comment Southwest., 69, has worked for Southwest, met Shepperson when he relocated to from! People to test positive for coronavirus after attending in-person training event, died, who on. We make employers responsible for own equipment loved his mother along for the ride times! 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Union denied reports of a sickout to protest mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations, said the company has added extra procedures! To fly with much of the rest of the economy shuttered, they think is. ) Sickel had no underlying condition the law firm Hunton Andrews Kurth, fewer than 200 relate working. Asked the 10 trainees any health screening questions, took their temperatures tested. Costing her part of her salary against Airlines, air travel and the aerospace industry will stop., our union is forbidden from taking job action to resolve labor disputes these! Suing Southwest Airlines canceled a large number of flights in early October 2021 due to pilots out! Along for the FBI report, she told USA TODAY and appreciate truthful and open communication, not speak... Podesta, denied she encouraged Haak or made any advances law firm Hunton Kurth... Tested them for COVID-19, the data shows attendants have blamed management for many delayed and canceled flights mandatory! Have blamed management for many delayed and canceled flights flight in this frame. Had disparaged her to and from a Southwest manager sent a memo to more three.