Cathy Seipp has picked up the story of Queen of Sky, the Delta flight attendant-blogger who has been suspended for her writings and photos.

QofS has filed an EEOC complaint against Delta. She tells Cathy’s World:

“I have found plenty of pics of MALE Delta employees on the Web in uniform, who actually identify their airline. Therefore, today I filed a discrimination complaint with the EEOC. They thought the whole suspension was ridiculous, too. The man that took my complaint and his supervisor did not find anything inappropriate about these pics. So I think I have a good case.”

I agree with Cathy: this isn’t really a free speech issue, Delta is within its rights and should be within its rights in disciplining the flight attendant, but really come on .. it really ought to cut this woman some slack. Any imagined harm caused to Delta by this flight attendant is dwarfed by the bad press from disciplining her.

At the same time, I really have to feel for Delta.

Queen of Sky points out that other flight attendants have posted their photos online without discipline, and the airline needs to be consistent in applying its employment policies. But this is just the problem Delta faces. Even stupid rules need to be applied consistently, for fear of federal discrimination lawsuits. And no doubt Delta thought it was just enforcing its rules which, like it or not, its lawyers insist that it do.

Perhaps the root of this isn’t the tone-deafness of a large faceless corporation, but the chilling effect of employment discrimination law. I say perhaps because I haven’t spoken with anyone at Delta about the case and am only speculating.

Still, I’d like to see Queen of Sky lose her lawsuit and get her job back.