Overview
- Filed Oct. 13 in the Southern District of Texas, the suit claims ADA disability discrimination, Title VII race and national‑origin disparate treatment and retaliation, and defamation, and seeks reinstatement or damages.
- Castillo reports he was arrested in July 2023 on suspicion of DUI, the case was later dismissed, and an independent evaluation found no alcohol‑use disorder and called the incident a one‑off event.
- He alleges United pushed him to enroll in the HIMS program; after he declined, his first‑class medical was lost pending FAA review on Oct. 16, 2023, and United terminated him the next month for lacking the required certificate.
- The filing cites disparate treatment compared with other pilots and quotes a union account of Chief Pilot Ernie Aller saying Castillo was fired for “lawyering up and not communicating,” which the suit frames as evidence of retaliation.
- The complaint says United initially told the FAA his separation was for “pilot‑performance issues,” a false entry that stayed about 18 months before a May 2025 correction; coverage notes likely defenses including medical‑certificate requirements, FAA record protections and EEOC filing timeliness.