Color blind pilot sues United Airlines after being terminated

United Airlines is being sued by a color blind pilot who was terminated shortly after being grounded due to his inability to distinguish colors while flying at night.

The airline recruited Damon Meyer of Portland as a commercial pilot on April 12, 2022, but Meyer lost his job less than two months later when he submitted a long-term disability claim through an insurance plan he signed up for.

Jetline Marvel reported that Meyer claimed that he was unable to fly at night because he “couldn’t determine the colors of signals on taxiways”.

Although he says there is “no proof” that Meyer had this condition at the time of hiring, he said that he might have developed the condition during the weeks that followed, suggesting that his color blindness was not congenital, but acquired.

After he was grounded by United Airlines, Meyer submitted a long-term disability claim through United Airlines’ program. Meyer was fired by United a month later.

Based on the Meyer vs United Airlines district court details, Meyer is not suing due to the termination, but is contesting the disability claim which was denied by the airline.

The latest update on the case is March 9, 2023, where the court has issued a summons to United Airlines employee management company Reed Group.