Flight Attendant Reportedly Dismissed for Posting Dance TikTok in Uniform.
Nelle Diala, a former employee of Alaska Airlines, has successfully raised over $2,600 through a fundraising campaign she initiated to "make ends meet" after her reported termination in November 2024.
"I never imagined that a single moment could lead to the loss of everything."
This statement marks the beginning of the GoFundMe campaign initiated by Nelle Diala, a former employee of Alaska Airlines, who claims she was dismissed for sharing a dance video on TikTok while at work.
On November 17, 2024, Diala, then a flight attendant, uploaded a TikTok video in which she danced—specifically, twerked—down the aisles of an unoccupied aircraft. She captioned the video, “Ghetto bih till i D-l-E, dont let the uniform fool you.”
Diala recorded this “lighthearted” 15-second clip six months into her tenure with the airline during a layover, as she explained on her GoFundMe page. “During a layover one day, I shared a playful video on my personal social media account. It was an innocuous clip filmed at 6 am while I waited for two hours for the pilots,” she elaborated. “The video went viral almost instantly, but rather than receiving support, I faced unexpected criticism.
Although I acknowledge it was a poor choice on my part, I never anticipated it would lead to the loss of my dream job.” Following the video's release, Alaska Airlines accused Diala of breaching the company's social media policy, according to her account. “I clarified that the video was not meant to harm anyone or the company, but they were unwilling to listen,” Diala stated on GoFundMe.
“Without any prior notice, they terminated my employment. There was no discussion, no opportunity for me to defend myself, and no thorough investigation.” “The loss of my job was heartbreaking. I have always been cautious about my online presence,” she added, expressing that she “never thought” the video “would jeopardize my career.” Diala also pointed out that she “didn’t even mention the airline by name,” although her flight attendant uniform, visible in the video, is distinctive to Alaska Airlines.
In a statement issued to The Independent, the airline remarked, “While we refrain from discussing personnel issues, we maintain high standards for conduct and guest service for all flight attendants.
All newly hired flight attendants undergo a probationary period, similar to all employees at Alaska Airlines.” Diala, who mentioned she was “celebrating the end” of her own probation by creating the video, is now “trying to determine how to proceed.” “You can’t even be yourself anymore without the world being overly sensitive,” she expressed on TikTok, where she shared her original video again on November 26 following her alleged termination.
“[What’s] wrong with a little twerk before work?” she continued in her caption. “People act as if they have never done that before. #fyp #flightattendantlife 4evaa #discriminationisreal.” On GoFundMe, where she has raised over $2,600 as of January 19, Diala reflected on her experiences with the airline and her future. Despite facing challenges in her personal life during her initial six months as a flight attendant, she stated, “I loved my job — meeting new people, exploring the world, and fostering a safe, welcoming atmosphere for passengers.
It wasn’t always easy, but I took pride in my work.” Diala indicated that she is now depending on the fundraiser “to cover expenses due to this unexpected loss of income and until I can secure another flight attendant position elsewhere.” “I have learned from my mistakes, and they do not define me,” she added. “We listen and we do not judge.”
