Last Updated: March 21, 2024, 15:56 IST
London, United Kingdom (UK)
One of the crew members, Holly Walton, mimicked racist gestures and uttered, Give me wine in a Chinese accent. (Screengrab)
British Airways cabin crew fired over racist TikTok video mocking Asian passengers. Action taken after offensive clip sparks outrage
British Airways wasted no time in sacking two of its cabin crew members who posted a racist video on TikTok targeting the Asian community. The clip, filmed during their stay at an Antigua resort sponsored by the airline, reportedly mocked a Chinese family struggling to order drinks on a flight.
One of the crew members, Holly Walton, mimicked racist gestures and uttered, “Give me wine” in a Chinese accent, according to UK’s Daily Mail. Another crew member, Lauren Bray, captured the footage. Their colleagues condemned the duo’s actions, expressing shock and disgust over the racist content, the report said. Some of the users on social media described the behaviour of the two women as deliberate and damaging to the airline’s reputation.
After the clip went viral, the crew members were summoned back from a trip to Cancun, Mexico for a meeting at the airline’s headquarters. Bray reportedly left the meeting in tears. Soon after, British Airways confirmed the termination of both employees, denouncing racism as unacceptable and vowing to address such allegations seriously.
The incident sparked outrage, with fellow staff members condemning the behavior as reprehensible and calling for accountability. The dissemination of the video drew widespread criticism, with observers deeming it offensive and damaging to the airline’s image. Critics emphasised the need for immediate action to address the racial insensitivity displayed by the former employees.
