A United Airlines employee who allegedly hurled racial insults at a customer earlier this year now faces a charge of disorderly conduct.
Cacilie Hughes, United Airlines customer, says she approached a United employee at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in February to ask if a “refund code” was available. Hughes said the employee, identified in the report as Carmella Davano, allegedly yelled at her and repeatedly called her “a monkey” and a "shining monkey."
“I was humiliated, I was crying and I was the only black woman in the area,” Hughes told The New York Times. She said police officers arrived on the scene where two witnesses told them what Davano had allegedly said.
United said in a statement it has “withheld the employee from service since the night of the incident pending an internal investigation. Upon conclusion of the investigation, we will take any and all appropriate corrective action up to and including termination.”