A 79-year-old former flight attendant is suing Delta Air Lines for firing her, telling Inside Edition she believes she was let go of because of her age.
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Ida Gomez Llanos says during her 57 years of service, she received praise by employers for her exemplary work. She says her attendance was also spotless.
“Luckily, my health is excellent. I never get sick,” she told Inside Edition.
She was abruptly let go eight months ago after she says somebody claimed that she took a carton of milk from the airplane. Though that was the reason allegedly given for her firing, she told Inside Edition, “that was only part of it,” adding, “the other part was the fact the flight attendants had lied so much about me.”
Ida says she became the target of a smear campaign by jealous co-workers. Because of her seniority, she had first pick for overtime and coveted flight routes. She also earned $250,000 a year.
“It was good, but you had to work a lot of hours if you wanted top pay,” she said. “It wasn’t that everyone was working that. It’s just that I flew almost every day of the month. I took my job very seriously. I love my job.”
“She is a hard-working, wonderful woman,” her attorney said. “They destroyed her career, her profession.”
Ida told Inside Edition she "absolutely" feels betrayed, adding that "I have been there 57 years. I never did anything to be fired for."
Ida is now suing Delta airlines claiming "unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation that she experienced as a result of her age and sex."
“While Ms. Gomez had a long career at Delta, she was only one of more than 2,600 flight attendants with 40 or more years of seniority," Delta told Inside Edition in a statement. "Any suggestion that Delta terminated Ms. Gomez because of her age or for taking a catering item off a plane is false and grossly misleading. While Delta does not generally discuss the details of an employee’s job performance, it can say that Ms. Gomez was terminated only after being repeatedly counseled and disciplined for committing numerous policy violations, none of which were determined to be “fabricated” as she now contends.”
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