A NFL player is suing United Airlines for failing to take seriously his sexual harassment complaint onboard a transcontinental flight.
A Raucous Redeye Flight On United
According to the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County, the following occurred on a redeye flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Newark (EWR) on February 10, 2020:
- An NFL player and his male companion boarded the flight.
- Their seatmate across the aisle, a female, appeared to be intoxicated and exhibited “disruptive and belligerent” behavior, including making sexual advances at the two men
- Flight attendants were notified and took no action
- The lady continued her sexual advances, massaging his knees and thighs
- Flight attendants were notified and took no action
- The lady continued her sexual advances, groping the player
- Flight attendants were notified and took no action
- The lady continued her sexual advances, grabbing the player’s genitals and ripping off his safety mask
- The man jumped up from his seat and loudly complained in the cabin that the woman was touching him in an unwanted manner
- Flight attendants were not present and the player marched to the rear of the aircraft to make his compliant.
- While he was gone, the woman groped his companion in the groin
- Flight attendants finally removed the woman from her seat and sat her in a different row.
The unidentified NFL player (who sued anonymously to protect his identity) filed a Jane Doe lawsuit, suing the woman whose identity remains unknown and United Airlines for failing to protect him. His companion has also sued.
Lawyers Stress Accountability In United Sexual Harassment Lawsuit
The Darwish Law Firm, a popular personal attorney law firm in Los Angeles, issued the following statement concerning the case:
We bring this lawsuit with the hope that it will be one of the last of its kind. Our wish would be that in the future no passengers’ multiple warnings and complaints to flight attendants, the onboard authority figure, will go unheard until it’s too late and the damage has been done. This matter is unfortunately based on several instances of assault — physical, sexual, and verbal — on a “red-eye” United Airlines, Inc. flight. Instances that could have been prevented, if not the harm reduced, had United’s personnel simply taken action sooner.
In-flight sexual assaults continue to be an ongoing problem during commercial flights, particularly during “red-eye” flights. In 2018, the FBI issued strict warnings to airlines, including United, about the number of sexual assaults increasing ‘at an alarming rate.’ United has an obligation to keep its passengers safe.
This matter is about accountability; not just from United but the assailant as well. Those with a duty to others should be held accountable for their failures to uphold their responsibilities. Those who report assaults should not be ignored, but believed, their claims investigated, and appropriate action taken where warranted.
Our goal is to shine a light on how assaults can, and are, being made on men, and not just women. This is significant because assault is assault, regardless of the gender, race, and physical attributes of the victim. Once these characteristics are added into the equation, the usual stigma and social stereotypes associated with sexual assaults are amplified.
United’s Limited Response
“In this instance, the customer involved was moved to a different seat. Because litigation is now pending, we’re unable to provide further comment.”
“United had little to say about the seat,…”
Did you mean suit, and not seat?
“The woman should have immediately been thrown off the flight…”
…Or maybe wait until the plane is safely on the ground. Lol!
Yes, I’ll give you that.
I bet he was wearing something revealing and overly sexy. He was asking for it!
I flew multiple times and legs X-country in February early and late. I don’t recall seeing anyone on planes with masks other than a few Asians @DTW departing for Asia in Feb ( and that was in the terminal).
IIRC on 2.10.2020 I don’t even think the Nursing home in Seattle was even a concern as the first US death reported was on 2.29.20.
So that part of the account sounds fishy. That is the only part of the allegation that makes me question the rest. I wouldn’t have questioned the account if it wasn’t for the mask.