Spirit Pilot With Long Covid Sues Unum for Disability Benefits

A 33-year-old Spirit Airlines Inc. pilot sued Unum Life Insurance Co. of America for monthly disability benefits of nearly $5,300, saying her long-haul Covid symptoms make her ineligible to fly a commercial plane.

The pilot, who contracted Covid-19 in April 2022, says she suffers from cognitive deficiencies, mobility issues, headaches, and extreme fatigue. These symptoms make her unable to fly commercially and render her ineligible for the medical certificate pilots must obtain to satisfy federal legal requirements, she said.

Kathleen Crone’s lawsuit, filed Friday in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, says Unum wrongly declined ...