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A United Airlines flight attendant, Ruben D. Sanchez Jr., was dismissed following a private conversation that was overheard by a passenger and subsequently reported on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The incident took place on May 31st last year during a redeye flight from Los Angeles to Cleveland. Sanchez, who had been with the airline for 28 years, discussed his Catholic faith and personal views on LGBTQIA issues with another employee.
Sanchez described the conversation as an innocent attempt to stay awake on the late-night flight. He stated they talked about Pride Month and its significance at United Airlines. "I said, 'You know, as Catholics, we're not really supposed to be observing Pride,'" Sanchez recounted. He emphasized that he did not make derogatory remarks about any group.
However, a tweet accused Sanchez of making offensive comments regarding race and gender identity. The allegations led United Airlines to suspend him while investigating the claims and reviewing his social media history. During this process, it was found that some of Sanchez's tweets violated company policies.
