A woman is suing American Airlines after she was allegedly sexually assaulted on a plane by a stranger sitting next to her.
The New Jersey woman, whose name has not been released, is suing the airline after the incident on Aug. 26, 2022, during an overnight flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Newark Liberty International Airport.
It is alleged that after sitting down next to her friend, the woman closed her eyes to sleep and “an unknown male passenger” digitally penetrated her.
The woman blames American Airlines for not preventing the attack or intervening to stop it. This was reported by The Independent.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court earlier this month, states: “Shortly after takeoff, the flight attendant turned off the cabin light and plaintiff closed her eyes to sleep.
An unnamed woman is suing American Airlines after she was allegedly assaulted on board. (An American Airlines Airbus at New York’s LaGuardia Airport)
The incident on August 26, 2022, during a night flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Newark Liberty International Airport (photo)
‘The plaintiff woke up and saw that the perpetrator’s left arm was in her pants and that his right hand was pressing her hand onto his penis.’
According to the suit, the stranger had covered them with a black quilted jacket.
The woman was described as frozen and in a “state of shock and panic.”
The traveler also managed to climb on top of the woman and continue his attack.
The complaint further states: ‘Plaintiff mustered up the courage to push the perpetrator away, whereupon he quickly returned to his seat.’
After this, the alleged attacker pretended nothing had happened and even asked the woman if she wanted some water.
But the New Jersey woman managed to wake her friend, who reported the alleged assault to a flight attendant.
The woman was reassigned to a different seat for the remainder of the flight.
After the plane landed, the man was escorted off the plane and authorities took reports from the victim and other passengers.
However, it is not known whether the alleged attacker has been arrested or charged with sexual abuse, the complaint said.
The woman’s lawyer, Brian Andris, told The Independent: “As set out in the complaint, we look forward to seeking justice on behalf of our client to right this terrible injustice, despite all she has suffered.”
In July, Gretchen Stelter (pictured) said she was sexually assaulted while flying back to Chicago in the business district after a vacation in Mexico.
This isn’t the first time there have been allegations of sexual assault aboard an American Airlines flight. (Stock photo of two American Airlines passenger planes at Phoenix Sky Harbor)
An American Airlines spokesperson said: “We are reviewing the lawsuit and the details of the flight. The safety and comfort of our customers is a top priority for American.”
This is not the first time that there have been allegations of sexual abuse on board an American Airlines flight.
In July, Gretchen Stelter flew back to Chicago from a vacation in Mexico in the business district.
She claims that a “drunk” passenger sitting next to her began making a flurry of vulgar comments.
Ms Stelter told Inside Edition: ‘The flight attendants had to come and ask if everything was OK, but I said ‘no.’
Another passenger saw what was going on and offered to switch seats.
But when she tried to climb over the passenger, Stelter put his hands on her butt and groped her.
Stelter alleges in a lawsuit that the flight attendants took “no action” to protect her.
And in May of this year, Tiffany Morgan, a frequent flyer for American Airlines, filed a lawsuit against the Fort Worth-based carrier for negligence after she was sexually assaulted in an “aggressive” manner.
She claims it happened while she was falling asleep from taking sleeping pills, while an off-duty flight attendant sitting nearby watched.
Ms. Morgan, an attorney at a small entertainment law firm in New York City, traveled regularly on American Airlines, both for work and pleasure.
Now she claims she has been “robbed” of her ability to travel independently because she is terrified of a similar attack.
She took two Benadryl tablets before boarding to relax and sleep during the two-hour flight from Florida to Pennsylvania. She was a nervous flyer.
About 30 to 40 minutes before the end of the flight, she was woken up by a flight attendant tapping her on the shoulder from the row behind her.
The flight attendant urged Mrs. Morgan to go to the galley at the back of the plane.
When she got there, she was asked if she knew her neighbor. He was said to be “visibly drunk” and surrounded by empty miniature vodka bottles.
Mrs Morgan was told her neighbour had ‘aggressively groped her on the breast’ but they had done nothing because they ‘didn’t know what to do’.
The off-duty flight attendant witnessed the attack and told Ms. Morgan that the man waved his hands in front of her face to make sure she was asleep.
Then he began to fondle, rub and caress her breasts.
But the off-duty crew member was unsure whether Ms. Morgan was traveling with the suspect, so he informed the other flight attendants. One of them reportedly admitted to overserving the suspect.
Mrs Morgan was reassigned to a new seat and upon arrival the plane was met by police.
However, the police told Ms. Morgan that they had no jurisdiction over in-flight incidents and that the matter should be handled by the FBI.
The FBI arrived at the gate late because it was the weekend and the suspect could not be arrested.
A year later, Ms. Morgan claimed that American Airlines had not contacted her to discuss the events and that her attempts to contact the airline went unanswered.
The lawsuit, filed in a Florida district court, states: “AA’s failure to act or even respond is not only disappointing and appalling following a proven incident of passenger sexual abuse, but also raises serious concerns for other women who travel alone with the airline.
‘AA’s ignoring of this incident is unacceptable given the seriousness of what occurred and the crew’s recognition of the seriousness of the incident and their role in enabling the incident to occur and/or continue.’
Ms. Morgan is suing American Airlines for negligence and simultaneously pursuing a civil suit against the defendant for sexual abuse.
The number of reported cases of sexual abuse on board aircraft has increased significantly in recent years. (Pictured is an American Airlines Boeing 737-823 passenger jet at a gate at Chicago O’Hare)
The FBI has issued an urgent warning over what it describes as a “disturbing” rise in sexual assaults on airplanes.
The number of reports of sexual abuse on board aircraft has increased sharply in recent years.
In 2023, the FBI opened 96 cases based on allegations of sexual assault during flights.
The FBI also alleges that many cases of sexual abuse go unreported.
But the characteristics of sexual abuse on board are ‘strikingly similar’.
According to an FBI alert, these attacks typically occur when the cabin is dark, the victims are sitting in a window or middle seat and “awaken to the sight of their seatmate’s hands inside their clothing or underwear.”
Perpetrators usually take advantage of passengers who are taking medication or may have had some alcohol.
They also count on victims not to report them to the police out of shame, because they don’t want to make a scene, or because they convince themselves that the attack was “accidental.”