Flight attendants accused instructor of harassment. Delta gave him a new job.

But he and all other trainees had to pass one final uniform check, to make sure they looked the part, too.

Nejat’s inspection was conducted by an instructor and Delta video producer named Matthew Miller.

In Nejat’s telling, Miller said: “‘Your shirt is ruffled up here,’ as if to justify the next actions he was going to take. Which were, putting his hands into my pants to pull down the shirt.”

Nejat alleged to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution — as he did in a federal lawsuit filed in Washington state in 2024 — that Miller’s hands then came very close to his genitals before moving underneath his vest and onto his chest. 

Credit: Felix Uribe Jr. for the AJC

Credit: Felix Uribe Jr. for the AJC

Delta has denied these allegations and settled Nejat’s lawsuit last year.

Nearly a year after that settlement, Miller is still employed by the carrier, now in video production on its global communications team.

But an AJC investigation has found Nejat’s allegations about Miller are not unique.

At least three other former and current flight attendants described to the AJC similar stories of sexual harassment and inappropriate touching by Miller while trainees between 2018 and 2024. And all said they ultimately reported the behavior to the company’s human resources department.

In response to an extensive list of questions from the AJC about these allegations, Delta said all “were fully investigated and found to be unsubstantiated.”

Miller declined, through a Delta spokesperson, to be interviewed or to respond to a list of questions about the allegations.

The Atlanta-based airline’s internal workplace guidelines state the company does “not tolerate sexual harassment” and “takes reports of harassment very seriously.”

It defines harassment to include “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, verbal or written remarks, physical conduct of an intimate or sexual nature, uninvited touching or sexually suggestive comments that interfere with work performance or create an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.”

The airline prides itself on being a sought-after employer  with a company culture that fosters “inclusion and transparency through ‘open-door’ access to senior leaders, ensuring all of our people feel connected, valued and encouraged to speak their minds.”

The current and former flight attendants interviewed, however, say these corporate policies do not reflect their experiences.

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

The AJC’s reporting raises questions about how Delta handled their allegations.

The findings also highlight an imbalance of power in the flight attendant training center, and the implications of this power dynamic for reporting alleged misconduct.

Three Atlanta employment lawyers who spoke to the AJC generally about workplace sexual harassment cases said alleged victims are often afraid to report incidents internally for many reasons, including fear of retaliation.

In a statement to the AJC, Delta said it “takes every report of harassment in the workplace seriously and investigates each thoroughly.”

The alleged acts of harassment detailed in this story, Delta said, were investigated as part of a lawsuit it settled confidentially with Nejat.

“Delta maintains strong workplace protections, and allegations to the contrary are not supported by the facts or our track record,” the statement added.

‘Everything was not fine’

Miller, a nearly 30-year flight attendant, worked as a “facilitator and content designer” in the training center from 2009 until January of this year, according to a LinkedIn profile that was taken down after the AJC reached out to him and Delta about this story.

The profile stated he was a former brand ambassador and 2017 recipient of Delta’s employee-nominated Chairman’s Club. He is featured as such in a Delta Flight Museum exhibit.

Mirayah McFarlin also had an experience with him during Delta flight attendant training in April 2024.

Credit: Bita Honarvar/AJC

Credit: Bita Honarvar/AJC

Miller had just told her she’d been selected for a coveted honor, to be one of a handful of trainees featured in their upcoming graduation video.

They were to meet him one evening to film after a long day of training, she said.

Just before starting to record her portion one-on-one, Miller stepped toward McFarlin from behind the camera as if, she told the AJC, “he sees something off.”

She recalled him fixing her hair, and then, she said, as he smoothed the neckline of her dress, slid his hand into her shirt and touched her breast.

She said she froze and didn’t react visibly.

“I told myself, ‘He was just adjusting my uniform. … Everything’s fine.’ Even though deep down inside I’m like, ‘No. Everything was not fine,’” she said.

McFarlin said she pushed her alarms aside and went ahead with the video.

Her family proudly captured the moment at graduation the next week, as her classmates laughed and cheered along, based on footage shared with the AJC.

“I couldn’t feel more prepared to finally be out there on the line,” McFarlin declared on screen with a megawatt smile.

Getting into Delta’s flight attendant training program is a big deal. The acceptance rate has been compared to that of trying to get into Harvard University.

McFarlin said she initially kept the incident to herself. She had survived training and was about to start her dream career.

“The greatest job I’ve ever had was my time with Delta as a flight attendant,” she said.

Credit: Mirayah McFarlin

Credit: Mirayah McFarlin

A few months into that job, however, she was scrolling through a Facebook group when she stopped cold on a post about Nejat’s lawsuit and allegations about Miller.

“I immediately knew who they were talking about, because it was so similar to what I had experienced,” McFarlin said.

The AJC has reviewed screenshots of the post, which includes a link to a blog article about Nejat’s lawsuit and a comment mentioning Miller’s initials.

Delta told the AJC that McFarlin’s “allegation was fully investigated and found to be unsubstantiated in parallel to the now-settled litigation.”

But McFarlin did not participate in Nejat’s lawsuit.

When asked why Miller left the training center earlier this year, Delta said, “To take the aforementioned video production role.”

‘Really touchy’

Within moments of his uniform check in 2023, Nejat realized he wasn’t the only one with a story about Miller.

A fellow trainee at the ceremony told him the instructor “was being really touchy” with him, too, Nejat told the AJC.

“On information and belief, several male flight attendants have experienced similar treatment at the hands of Miller,” his lawsuit alleged.

Delta denied this in its legal response, seeking to dismiss the case.

Nejat said he considered reporting the incident immediately but was advised by other flight attendants that doing so would “either lead to nothing happening, one, or two, would be at my detriment.”

In August 2024, Nejat was terminated after making social media posts both in support of unionization and about Miller’s alleged harassment. He filed suit the next month alleging retaliation.

Delta is the only major U.S. airline without unionized flight attendants.

Credit: Christina Matacotta

Credit: Christina Matacotta

Nejat received legal support from the Association of Flight Attendants, which has been trying to organize Delta’s 28,000 flight attendants for decades.

In his complaint, Nejat said the airline “has never offered Nejat any explanation of the reasons for its suspension and eventual termination of him, other than its intolerance for his pro-union, anti-sexual-harassment posts.”

Delta denied this claim in court — and denied Miller sexually harassed Nejat.

Although it did not detail the exact reason for Nejat’s termination, it stated the decision was “justified by the circumstances and was in no way due to Plaintiff’s alleged support for, or desire to obtain representation by, a labor organization.”

Nejat argues that his experience with Miller and his termination could have been prevented with the protection of a union.

“Delta people have multiple ways to report workplace harassment — including those that carry anonymity,’ the airline said. “Delta has zero tolerance for retaliation.”

“Delta’s long-established position remains that it is up to our people to decide whether or not representation is right for them and we believe that a direct relationship has and will continue to serve our people and customers best.”

But McFarlin and Nejat both told the AJC they were informed of an anonymous option only after reporting their incidents to HR.

Credit: Felix Uribe Jr. for the AJC

Credit: Felix Uribe Jr. for the AJC

The two current employees who also allege harassment by Miller said they were unaware of a way to anonymously report workplace harassment at Delta.

Delta did not explain exactly how employees are able to report anonymously but said, “Employees are made aware through new hire orientation, ongoing training and regular internal communications — both physical and digital.”

The company settled with Nejat on “all claims” in August 2025 for an undisclosed amount, admitting no liability.

But after his lawsuit became public, Nejat said he heard from a “deluge” of other flight attendants who reached out “to thank me, to offer support, with some telling me that they’ve experienced similar things, they’ve heard of similar things and that they’ve been afraid to speak up themselves about it.” 

Results from an anonymous internal survey of flight attendant instructors were circulated by Delta leadership in May of last year and obtained by the AJC.

The survey showed that even though most respondents said they were “proud to be a part” of the In-Flight Service Learning team, the overwhelming majority also said they “disagree” or “strongly disagree” with the statement they felt “free to speak my mind without fear of negative consequences.”

‘I was frozen’

Two current Delta flight attendants were among the four people who alleged harassment and inappropriate touching by Miller at the training center.

Both spoke under the condition of anonymity for fear they would risk their jobs.

One male attendant told the AJC that in 2022 Miller conducted a uniform check on him as trainees readied for a group picture.

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

He said Miller touched his shoulders, arms and waist before reaching into his pants because, as he recalled Miller saying, his shirt needed to be tucked in deeper.

The former trainee alleges Miller unbuttoned his pants and then put his hand directly on his genitals. “It was pure shock. I was numb. I was frozen,’” he told the AJC.

But like McFarlin and Nejat, he “buried it” in the moment, he said. “I was like, ‘You’re this close to the end. Get over it.’”

“I got so tied in with this being my main source of income. I didn’t want any problem,” he said.

Flight attendant trainees are in a particularly vulnerable position.

Many have put their possessions in storage to live in an Atlanta hotel on the promise of a new career. They are generally paid minimum wage, and any infraction or exam failure can mean an immediate withdrawal of one’s conditional employment offer, the former trainees interviewed said.

Trainees are “constantly under a magnifying glass,” McFarlin recalled. “You have to constantly be perfect. Like you’re always being watched by somebody in the training center.”

‘They’re scared’

Another current Delta flight attendant interacted with Miller during training in 2018. In his telling, Miller had also selected him for a graduation video.

As they were about to film one-on-one, the trainee recalled Miller massaged his shoulders and touched his hips and buttocks in a way that made him feel uncomfortable, which the trainee said he rebuffed.

Delta policies state that all employees “must report any information or situation which they believe could amount to discrimination, harassment, bullying or intimidation.”

“Harassment has no place at Delta and can result in corrective action, up to and including termination,” it continues.

It also states the company “does not tolerate retaliation of any kind. Employees are protected from retaliation when raising concerns or making a report in good faith.”

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

But like others interviewed by the AJC, this trainee opted not to report his allegations because of his precarious employment status.

He said colleagues and family members warned him reporting could backfire — even after graduation.

Flight attendants are still considered probationary during a six-month “Fly Right” period, he noted.

“I was under the impression that I’m probably going to lose my job if I try to accuse (Miller),” the former trainee said.

He said he told himself at the time, “Somebody else will come forward.”

A prerequisite to bring any legal claim of harassment in the U.S. is filing a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission within six months of the alleged incident.

An EEOC task force on harassment in the workplace noted that an estimated 90% of individuals who say they have experienced harassment never take formal action against it.

There are many reasons why, said Matthew Billips, an Atlanta anti-discrimination and civil rights plaintiffs’ attorney.

There’s embarrassment, he said. “There’s the fear that the person who sexually harassed you, especially if it’s a supervisor, is going to retaliate against you.”

“There’s always the risk of getting fired,” he said.

And for a new employee, the reasons are even more pronounced.

“You don’t know how seriously the company takes these kinds of things,” he said. “You don’t know whether or not the company is going to respond well to a report or going to respond by first looking into you.”

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Becky Ley is a nearly 38-year Delta flight attendant and a member of the Delta AFA organizing committee. She said flight attendants frequently come to her with a range of concerns because of her role in the unionizing effort.

Although she declined to speak to allegations about Miller, among the many issues she said she has heard about is sexual harassment in the training center — including alleged inappropriate touching during uniform checks.

Without union protection, all Delta flight attendants are “vulnerable” when it comes to fear of retaliation, she said. But trainees are especially so.

“You’re brand new. You’re trying to get this job. You want it. The stress level, that alone, they’re scared. They’re scared without any bad things happening,” she said.

Trainees often don’t even understand if instructors are management or not, she said. “There’s no objective party that they can talk to.”

‘There to collect my story’

News of Nejat’s lawsuit in 2024 changed things.

Both anonymous employees interviewed by the AJC said they independently agreed to sign confidential witness statements about their experiences in support of the suit.

Their testimony would remain confidential, but their names would ultimately be made known to Delta.

The 2018 trainee said he did so because, “It was just time. I felt safe enough, to where I’d been flying enough in my career that I could come forward.”

Both employees said Delta HR contacted them in the summer of 2025 — just before Nejat’s settlement was made public — to interview them about their allegations.

But neither was satisfied with how HR handled their situations.

The 2018 trainee said he “felt like they automatically believed (Miller) and not me.”

The 2022 trainee said: “I’m not saying that they were mean or dismissive. It just seemed like they were there to collect my story.”

Both said they were told months later that the “investigation has concluded.”

And both separately told the AJC they chose not to take part in follow-up 15-minute “closeout” discussions out of frustration with the process and news of Nejat’s settlement in 2025.

Credit: Felix Uribe Jr. for the AJC

Credit: Felix Uribe Jr. for the AJC

Delta told the AJC that both flight attendants’ allegations were investigated and found unsubstantiated “as part of now-settled litigation,” though neither was a plaintiff nor party to the settlement.

Delta said its internal investigation procedures are “confidential to protect the integrity of the process” and “are aligned to regulatory, legal and HR best practices that ensure allegations are thoroughly and fairly investigated.”

Andrew Coffman, an Atlanta employment discrimination and civil rights lawyer, has represented employees and employers and worked as an internal investigator for companies.

He said investigating one-on-one allegations is “very difficult” because usually, “both sides have a different story.”

He noted that employers should look for corroborating facts and ask other employees about the alleged conduct. “These things rarely happen in a vacuum,” he said.

When asked how being in a probationary status would affect harassment reporting, Coffman said: “I’d feel bad for those folks. Obviously, they think they’re doing the right thing from the career standpoint, but they’re also the most vulnerable that they’ll ever be in the company.”

AFA has pointed to Nejat’s allegations as a reason to unionize, sharing it on social media and its organizing website.

Nejat, who now works for another unionized airline, said no instructors touched trainees during uniform checks there.

When asked if instructors are allowed to put their hands inside the clothes of trainees during uniform checks, Delta pointed the AJC to its sexual harassment policy, which explicitly prohibits “uninvited touching.”

AFA has also alleged that Miller has been protected because of his involvement with One Delta, an employee group known to oppose unionization. Nejat said he believes this is why Miller remains employed.

Credit: vino-wong

Credit: vino-wong

Delta did not answer questions about whether it disputes this characterization of One Delta and Miller’s involvement.

Rachel Berlin, an Atlanta employment lawyer who specializes in representing victims of sexual harassment, said she has seen companies react differently to allegations.

With some employers, “it’s very clear that the company wants to talk about a resolution with my client leaving, and the (accused) staying,” she said. But sometimes a company will “immediately get rid of (the accused). There’s no hesitation.”

“It really depends on the employer, the culture in that company and maybe the advice their lawyer is giving them … and what value that person has to the company,” she said.

‘I have to speak up’

Around the same time the current flight attendants were working on their witness statements in 2024, McFarlin told her manager she wanted to report her allegation.

“I immediately felt like, ‘I have to speak up … and if I tell somebody, maybe this will prevent him from ever harming anybody else,’” McFarlin recalled.

She said she recounted the incident with Miller in a meeting with HR in October 2024. The AJC has reviewed correspondence about scheduling it.

McFarlin said she heard nothing until January 2025, when she was merely told the case was closed, months before Nejat’s settlement.

In the meantime, she had opted to take a mental health leave of absence. She said she began to question whether Delta was a company she wanted to work for.

Credit: Bita Honarvar/AJC

Credit: Bita Honarvar/AJC

When she reported her story, HR didn’t seem very alarmed, she said.

“It felt very unimportant to people, and that was also very hurtful,” she said.

She kept extending her leave, hoping to hear that Miller had been let go.

In April 2025, McFarlin “decided that Delta was not a company that I wanted to work with. I’m still grieving that. It was a huge dream of mine, and I miss it dearly.”

As to why she’s chosen to speak out now, she said she has close friends still working for Delta.

“Hearing from (them) that he’s still around really sparked something inside of me,” she said.

She wants them to be in a workplace where they feel comfortable.