Flight Attendant terminated after admitting she qualified for food stamps

We’re beginning to sympathize with the JetBlue flight attendant who made the dramatic exit via emergency slide after hearing this latest news from the flight deck. A legal battle is pending after a Compass Airlines flight attendant admitted publicly that she qualified for food stamps.

Kristen Arianejad was terminated on August 25 after being featured in a local television program and admitting she was approved for food stamps to supplement her wages.

Arianejad is being represented by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA).

“Poverty is not a crime and it is despicable that Compass Airlines would fire an employee for speaking the truth,” said Patricia Friend, AFA-CWA International President. “Unfortunately, there are flight attendants across the country who have to rely on federal and state assistance to make ends meet.

Instead of paying hardworking flight attendants a living wage, airline management would rather shame them and make them fear for their jobs. We call on Compass to immediately reinstate Kirsten Arianejad.”

Compass flight attendants have a starting salary of between $13,842 ($1,153.50/month) and $15,453 ($1,287.75/month). Individuals living in Arizona, Arianejad’s state of residence, can have a maximum income of $1,671 to qualify for food stamps.

Compass Airlines is headquartered in the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and often conducts regional flights on behalf of Delta.

Image courtesy of AVStop.com.