It's only been a year since Delta Air Lines rolled out new uniforms for some 64,000 employees but complaints of skin rashes, headaches, fatigue and other health issues have prompted a pair of flight attendants to file a proposed class-action lawsuit over the "Passport Plum" garments.
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the suit was filed against uniform maker Lands' End in U.S. District Court in New York on Wednesday but does not name Delta as a defendant.
Delta flight attendants Gwyneth Gilbert and Monica DeCrescentis are the two plaintiffs in the suit. Gilbert claims she "experienced rashes and skin irritations" from wearing the uniforms-which are treated with chemicals for anti-wrinkle and stain-release properties-while DeCrescentis said she has experienced adverse skin reactions, headaches and a low white cell blood count since the new uniforms were rolled out last year.
"As Delta flight attendants are non-union, at-will employees, many are reluctant to complain about the problems with their uniforms and suffer in silence, and other flight attendants wear undergarments or long underwear to protect themselves from new uniforms," the suit claims via The AJC.
It alleges negligence, design defect, manufacturing defect and failure to warn, among other claims.
Delta confirmed that it's received complaints about the uniforms but said it accounts for a very small percentage of the total employees required to wear the new outfits.
"Although Delta and Lands' End conducted in-depth testing during every step of development, a small number of employees have reported skin irritations," Delta said in a statement. "While less than one percent of employees in the new uniform program have reported issues, Delta takes this very seriously and is working directly with employees on solutions that meet their individual needs."
Delta spent approximately $20 million on the new uniforms and said it plans to offer a new untreated uniform option in June for employees with proper medical documentation.
Delta rival American Airlines has faced its own fair share of issues tied to new uniforms it rolled out in 2016.
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