Airline Pilot Whistleblower Wins Appeal

In an unpublished decision, the Fifth Circuit affirmed pilot Roger Luder’s win in his AIR21 whistleblower retaliation claim against Continental Airlines.  The decision in Cont’l Airlines, Inc. v. Admin. Review Bd. underscores the broad scope of whistleblower protection for employees in the airline industry.

If you have suffered retaliation for whistleblowing, contact our whistleblower lawyers at 202-262-8959.  The statute of limitations for an AIR21 whistleblower claim is just 90 days. We have obtained substantial relief for pilots under the AIR21 whistleblower protection law.

Facts Giving Rise to AIR21 Whistleblower Claim

As Luder was preparing to pilot an aircraft on the last segment of a three-segment trip, he learned that the aircraft encountered significant turbulence. In particular, he was informed that the turbulence hit with a force that almost “ripped the wings off,” sent a flight attendant to the medical clinic for treatment, and appeared “pink” on the airplane radar.

Luder checked the aircraft logbook and found no documentation of the turbulence. He then logged the severe turbulence and contacted Continental’s Operations Control in Houston to order an inspection. Under 14 C.F.R. § 91.9, a pilot must comply with the airline’s Flight Operations Manual and Continental’s manual required that pilots log all encounters with severe turbulence during a flight and order an inspection of the aircraft.

Luder contacted Operations Control to order an inspection and Operations Control ordered Luder to board passengers for the flight. Luder refused and received a call from Continental officials, including Assistant Chief Pilot Kip Komidor. Komidor told Luder that an inspection was not necessary because the turbulence was moderate. Luder hung up the phone and when Komidor called him back, Luder threatened to contact the FAA.

Continental inspected the aircraft, which delayed take-off by over thirty minutes. Shortly thereafter, Continental suspended Luder without pay for twenty-one flight hours and threatened him with termination for future improper conduct.

AIR21 Protected Whistleblowing or Protected Conduct

Under the AIR21 whistleblower protection law, protected air safety whistleblowing includes providing information relating to any violation or alleged violation of any FAA order, regulation, or standard. The court found that by logging severe turbulence, Luder engaged in protected whistleblowing. In particular, logging the turbulence entailed reporting a violation by the previous pilot for failing to log his encounter with severe turbulence.

And by challenging Continental’s refusal to conduct an inspection of the aircraft, Luder was reporting Continental’s attempt to cause Luder to violate FAA regulations by not complying with the Flight Operations Manual.

Whistleblower Retaliation Prohibited by AIR21

The AIR21 whistleblower retaliation law prohibits a wide range of retaliatory employment actions, including any action that would dissuade a reasonable worker from engaging in the protected conduct. The court found that suspension without pay is a way to dissuade employees from engaging in protected conduct, and thus, Continental’s suspension of Luder for two weeks without pay was an adverse employment action.

Whistleblowing Was the Real Reason for the Suspension

Continental asserted that it suspended Luder because of his heated telephone conversation with Assistant Chief Pilot Komidor. But the court found that the real reason for the termination of Luder’s employment was his refusal to agree with the direction of his supervisors to forego an inspection of the aircraft following severe turbulence. The court noted that under 14 C.F.R. § 91.3, Luder had the authority to decide that the plane was unsafe to operate under and had final authority as to the operation of the aircraft. Therefore, he acted appropriately by insisting that Continental inspect the aircraft.

Testimonial from AIR21 Whistleblower Represented by Zuckerman Law

• I couldn’t ask for a better guy than Dallas Hammer to put the airlines feet to the fire. I had never heard of AIR21 until I had been retaliated against and educated my self with the help of Zuckerman Law website. Dallas correctly anticipated every move they made and we were in position to have a very strong case. Dallas negotiated a severance that is far above the norm. I am very pleased with the outcome. Now I can move on with my life with plenty of time to find a better employer.

Remedies for Whistleblower Retaliation

Experienced AIR21/Air Safety Whistleblower Protection Lawyers

Before hiring a lawyer to prosecute your AIR21 whistleblower case, assess the lawyer’s prior experience representing whistleblowers, knowledge of whistleblower laws, and prior results.  And consider the experience of other whistleblowers working with that attorney.  See our client testimonials by clicking here.

• U.S. News and Best Lawyers® have named Zuckerman Law a Tier 1 firm in Litigation – Labor and Employment in the Washington DC metropolitan area.
• Dallas Hammer has extensive experience representing whistleblowers and was selected by his peers to be included in The Best Lawyers in America® in the category of employment law in 2021 and 2022.
• Described by the National Law Journal as a “leading whistleblower attorney,” founding Principal Jason Zuckerman has established precedent under a wide range of whistleblower protection laws.  He served on the Department of Labor’s Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations to the Secretary of Labor to improve OSHA’s administration of federal whistleblower protection laws.  Zuckerman also served as Senior Legal Advisor to the Special Counsel at the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, the federal agency charged with protecting whistleblowers in the federal government.  At OSC, he oversaw investigations of whistleblower claims and obtained corrective action or relief for whistleblowers.
• We have published extensively on whistleblower rights and protections, and speak nationwide at seminars and continuing legal education conferences.  We blog about new developments under whistleblower retaliation and rewards laws at the Whistleblower Protection Law and SEC Awards Blog, and in 2019, the National Law Review awarded Zuckerman its “Go-To Thought Leadership Award” for his analysis of developments in whistleblower law.

Call the AIR21 whistleblower lawyers at Zuckerman Law for a free consultation at 202-262-8959, or click here.