Know why Alaska Airlines decided to fire air hostess Nelle Diala after her video twerking went viral on Instagram
A flight attendant’s viral TikTok video ultimately cost her job. Nelle Diala, who had been working as a flight attendant with Alaska Airlines for over six months, was reportedly dismissed after posting a video of herself twerking while on duty.
Watch viral video as Alaska Airlines flight attendant Nelle Diala loses her job after twerking on the airplane
NEW: A flight attendant launched a GoFundMe and raised $261 after being fired for posting a video of herself twerking on a plane.
The skies just got a little calmer.
Nelle Diala, who describes herself as “ghetto bih till I D-I-E,” claims she was “wrongfully terminated” by… pic.twitter.com/Yk0N4Kfums
— Johncast (@johncastnow) January 15, 2025
An Alaska Airlines flight attendant, Nelle Diala who was working with the airlines since six months, was fired after a viral video showed her twerking on the job while waiting two hours for the pilot to arrive. Following her dismissal, she created a GoFundMe page to seek financial support while looking for a new job. Diala had filmed the video during a two-hour delay on a flight while waiting for the captain’s arrival. In the clip, which was widely shared on TikTok and Instagram, she had written a caption stating, “ghetto bih till I D-I-E, don’t let the uniform fool you.”
“I explained that the video wasn’t intended to harm anyone or the company, but they didn’t want to listen. Without warning, they terminated me. No discussion, no chance to defend myself – and no chance for a thorough and proper investigation,” the San Francisco native said.
Now, she intends to devote more attention to her lingerie and dessert ventures.
"What's wrong with a little tw3rk before work?" – Flight attendant, Nelle Diala, queries after being fired for sharing a video of herself tw3rking in uniform. pic.twitter.com/MoMZHp0oDh
— YabaLeftOnline (@yabaleftonline) January 16, 2025
According to reports, Diala had been celebrating the completion of her probationary period with a “victory dance.” However, the airline decided to terminate her employment just six months into her contract. In a follow-up post, Diala defended herself, expressing her frustration about being criticized. She stated that she could not understand why being herself was now met with such sensitivity and questioned what was wrong with having a little fun before work.
She also reposted the video with a new caption and used the hashtag #discriminationisreal. Diala shared that she had never anticipated losing everything from one moment and that the termination of her job was devastating. She also mentioned that being a flight attendant had allowed her to meet new people and experience the world, though she also relied on her income to fund her side businesses.
In response to her GoFundMe campaign, some people online ridiculed her for claiming she was “wrongfully fired.” They pointed out that by not respecting her job and wearing her uniform while performing the dance, she was not upholding the brand’s image. Some critics argued that she should apply for a new job and refrain from twerking while in uniform. As of Thursday morning, Diala had raised $1,706 of her $12,000 goal and you can donate for it here.
“I worked as a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines for over six months. In between those 6 months both of my English bulldogs died unexpectedly, my relationship was rocky because of the time I spent away, but I loved my job meeting new people, seeing the world, and creating a safe, welcoming environment for passengers. It wasn’t always easy, but I was proud of what I did. Although this was my dream job I was using the income to fund my blossoming lingerie and dessert business named: @cakezncake & @figure8.lingerie,” as per her GoFundMe.