A flight attendant from California has been dismissed from her job after a TikTok video of her twerking on an empty aircraft went viral.
Nelle Diala, previously employed by Alaska Airlines, described her dismissal as the loss of her “dream job.” The video, which amassed over 72,000 views, featured Diala celebrating the conclusion of her probationary period as a new hire.
Saif Ali Khan Health Update
“I was doing a victory dance to celebrate completing my probation and overcoming a difficult upbringing in San Francisco—something many in this industry can relate to,” Diala explained. “It was a poor decision on my part, but I didn’t think it would cost me my dream job.”
The video, captioned “ghetto bih till I D-I-E, don’t let the uniform fool you,” gained widespread attention. Despite Diala’s assertion that the video was harmless, Alaska Airlines terminated her employment just six months into her contract.
“I explained that the video wasn’t meant to harm anyone or the company, but they didn’t listen. Without warning, they terminated me—no discussion, no chance to defend myself, and no proper investigation,” she said.
Diala has since re-posted the video with a new caption: “Can’t even be yourself anymore without the world being so sensitive. What’s wrong with a little twerk before work? People act like they’ve never done it before,” accompanied by the hashtag #discriminationisreal.
Public reaction to the incident has been divided. Some supported Alaska Airlines’ decision, referencing the company’s social media policy, while others criticised the airline for being overly strict.
“Of course, she deserved to lose her job. She violated Alaska Airlines’ social media policy, which every employee agrees to follow when hired,” one TikTok user commented. Another added, “Nothing wrong with twerking before work, but it’s wrong to do it in uniform and on company property.”
Others, however, expressed sympathy: “Shame on Alaska Airlines for being so overly sensitive. We’ll support you via your GoFundMe.”
The former flight attendant has launched a fundraising campaign to support her lingerie and dessert businesses, which she had been developing alongside her job. The campaign has raised $646 of its $12,000 goal as of Thursday.
“Losing my job was devastating,” Diala wrote on the fundraising page. “But I’m now focused on growing my businesses: @cakezncake and @figure8.lingerie.”
Diala’s story has reignited discussions about the balance between personal expression and professional conduct in the digital age.
