The union directs impacted flight attendants to document their illness-related absences with supervisors and absence management teams.
DENVER- The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA alleges that over 200 flight attendants and UA staff became ill after consuming Christmas meals at Denver International Airport (DEN).
The union acknowledges a link between lunch service and food poisoning symptoms, as reported by JonNYC, an aviation insider.
United Airlines Flight Attendant Sick
United Airlines used badge scanning techniques during lunch distribution, allowing for accurate tracking of affected personnel. The airline keeps track of all employees who got holiday meals over the Christmas period.
The union directs impacted flight attendants to document their illness-related absences with supervisors and absence management teams. The organization cautions that holiday absence certificates should not be used for these specific situations.
Flight attendants who have received attendance point penalties as a result of these absences should contact their supervisors immediately and request that the points be removed. The union set specific standards for crew members who reported being sick while in outstation sites.
The C9 Grievance & Discipline Committee provides assistance to flight attendants facing disciplinary action due to these absences. Affected staff can seek assistance at afaden.org or the general helpline’s option 3.
Chris Bruton, the C9 Local President for the Denver and Phoenix bases, is in charge of the union’s response to this incident. The union continues to monitor the situation and advocate for the rights of the impacted flight attendants.
You can also report your complaints with the union at afanewsletters.org.
Similar Incidents
Delta Food Safety Issue
Delta Air Lines (DL) suspended hot meal service on more than 200 flights departing Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in October 2024 due to food safety concerns at its local catering business. The airline executed urgent shutdown procedures in the affected kitchen.
The suspension followed a recent inspection that revealed safety concerns at the Detroit-based catering company. To maintain service standards, Delta redirected hot meal production to other catering facilities.
On Friday, the airline informed flight crews of a “unforeseen supply chain issue” that would impair first-class food service. Delta enhanced snack options on affected flights to maintain passenger happiness.
Delta affirms that there have been no reported illnesses among passengers or employees as a result of the food safety concerns. The airline compensates passengers affected by the service disruption with travel vouchers or frequent flyer miles.
According to industry sources, the Detroit facility is operated by the European catering company DO&CO, however Delta has not verified this.
Passenger Falls Sick on Japan Airlines and United Flight
Similarly, in November 2024, a widespread disease outbreak afflicted 34 passengers on two flights arriving at Tokyo’s Narita Airport from Guam on Thursday night. Japan Airlines Flight 942 reported 16 unwell passengers, while United Airlines Flight 873 reported 18 cases.
The afflicted group consisted of high school students traveling from Guam to Japan. Passengers reported vomiting problems, with numerous cases occurring prior to departure from Guam.
Fourteen passengers required immediate hospitalization upon landing at Narita Airport. The remaining affected travelers treated their symptoms without seeking medical attention.
Japan Airlines ruled out in-flight meals as the culprit, noting pre-boarding symptom start in some passengers. This points to a potential shared source of pollution in Guam.
The event was investigated by the operations office at Narita Airport and the health authorities in Chiba Prefecture. Officials are working to establish the cause of the sickness and assess the potential public health ramifications.