WestJet denies Mandy Lewis's allegations about sex assault coverup

WestJetis denying claims byMandalena(Mandy)Lewis, aformer flight attendant who is suing theCalgary-based airline, claiming she was sexually assaulted by a pilot six years ago.

Lewisalleged that instead of firing the pilot, the airlineprotected him and fired her.

But in a written response to Lewis's suit against the airline,WestJeton Tuesdaydenied theVancouver woman'sclaims, citingeight warnings, suspensions and disciplinary actions against her for issues ranging from poor attendance to drinking alcohol before duty.

Lewis said references to her disciplinary record at WestJet are a distraction from systemic issues.

"It is a red herring. A full-blown diversion," said the former WestJet staffer in a phone interview with CBC Tuesday.

"It is very revealing. [The] company is washing their hands of what goes on during layovers."

Drinking allegedly forced flight cancellation

"The facts outlined show thatWestJetwas justified in its termination ofMandyLewis," the airline arguedin a written response to Lewis's civil claim.

"The behaviour repeatedly demonstrated by Ms. Lewis was more than sufficient grounds for dismissal andWestJet'sdismissal of Ms. Lewis was completely unrelated to the allegations Ms. Lewis has now raised," according to the airline's14-page response,

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In one December2013 incident, the airline states,the captain had toremoveLewis and two others from a shift for drinking alcohol, which resulted in cancellation of the flight.

The response to the civil claim, filed inB.C. Supreme Court Tuesday,outlinesyears of disciplinary action againstthe former flight attendant, whichled to her dismissal claimed to be "with just cause" on Jan. 12, 2016.

"Lewis did not express her dissatisfaction with the outcome of her complaint until the termination of her employment for cause, some six years after the actions complained of," said the airline's court documents.

WestJet'unable to conclude' pilot assaulted Lewis

Fourteen days after her dismissal, Lewis went to the media making allegations about sexual advancesby"Pilot M" during a layover in Maui in2010, according toWestJet.

"At the conclusion of the investigation, based on the available evidence,WestJetwas unable to conclude that Pilot M had assaulted Lewis," the court documents state.

The airline said the pilot was disciplined and denied privileges such as accessto aprogramthat givespilots the opportunityto fly on international routes, including Hawaii.

"WestJetdid not terminate Pilot M's employment because its findings and conclusions did not warrant such action," the airline's statement said.

Earlier this month, Lewis's allegations were outlined in a civil claim.

In it,Lewis allegedthe incident occurred during a layover in Hawaii on a VancouvertoMaui run on Jan. 24, 2010. That evening, flight attendants and pilots from theWestJetflight were all staying at theMakenaBeach Resort in Maui. There, Lewis allegedshe was "sexually assaulted by aWestJetpilot," whom she identifies only as "Pilot M."

Allegedly dragged onto bed

In Lewis's civil claim,shealleged that the pilot'dragged her onto the bed wrestling her into submission while kissing her and groping her genitals."

The lawsuit says Lewis was terrified, and "in her panic managed to leverage her legs into a position where she was physically able to kick out and push Pilot M off her."

She says she returned to her room where she "vomited [and] cried."

The next day, upon returning to Vancouver, she saidshe reported the incident in detail to her manager atWestJet, but claims the airline "failed to adequately investigate or respond."

Lewis says she tried to pursue criminal charges, going to theRCMP, which in turn contacted Maui police. She saidMaui police opened an investigation and later assigned a prosecutor.

All of the allegations in the abovequoted court documents have not yet been tested in court.

Tuesday'sresponse byWestJetsparked calls for the airline CEO's resignation from an activist group speaking out for former staff.

"We are extremely disappointed to see the inappropriate and adversarial positionWestJetis takingin response to a legitimate claim regarding a troubling incident of sexual assault in the workplace," said Emma Pullman ofSumOfUs, a group that says itstands up for workers.

"We call on Mr. [Gregg]Saretskyto immediately resign," Pullman said.

See Civil Claim here

See Response to Civil Claim here.