Ex-Virgin flight attendant hits back at airline’s incompetence claims

A former Virgin flight attendant has hit back at claims by the airline she was sacked for incompetence two days before Christmas last year.

Former Virgin worker is seeking compensation and damages from the airline after she was terminated two days before Christmas. Picture: Brendan Radke

An ex-Virgin Australia flight attendant suing the airline for unfair dismissal has hit back at her former employer’s claims that she was sacked for sheer incompetence.

Donna Waterhouse, 60, is seeking compensation and damages from Virgin after she was terminated two days before Christmas last year.

In her reply to Virgin’s defence in the case, Ms Waterhouse said she denied every allegation made by the airline, which portrayed her as inept and volatile.

These included claims she did not know how to deal with an electrical fire in an on-board oven, and was unable to demonstrate the correct procedure to disarm the cabin doors.

Virgin’s defence also said Ms Waterhouse was ordered to return to her home base of Sydney as a passenger on a flight due to concerns about her competence.

The ex-flight attendant denied every allegation made against her by the airline. Picture: Brendan Radke

Her reaction to the direction was alleged to be one of “extreme agitation” resulting in Ms Waterhouse yelling at her cabin manager and accusing him of micromanaging her and otherwise treating her unfairly and inappropriately.

She denied the behaviour, saying it was the manager who yelled at her “do not speak”, “this conversation is over” and “get your boarding pass”.

Her unfair dismissal claim argued she was stood down and subject to a retraining session where she was set up to fail, after “exercising her workplace rights”.

Ms Waterhouse said this included complaining verbally about her treatment by a cabin manager, including being shouted at and humiliated in public.

As a result of those complaints, Ms Waterhouse alleged Virgin took adverse action in the form of requiring her to attend “so-called refresher training” on two occasions.

She said it was never explained to her how her workplace performance justified her being sent to the course, nor was she told she was at risk of being dismissed if she did not pass.

The Federal Circuit Court has instructed Virgin and Ms Waterhouse to attend mediation on August 25 in an effort to settle the case.

Ms Waterhouse was not seeking reinstatement to Virgin but compensation and damages for “pain and suffering” plus a pecuniary penalty for the airline.