NFL Player Says in lawsuit Female Passenger Sexually Harassed, Assaulted him During United Airlines Flight
An unnamed NFL player is suing United Airlines after a female passenger allegedly sexually harassed, assaulted and violated him on a flight in February.
The civil suit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Monday, is seeking “unspecified statutory and punitive damages from the airline,” according to ESPN.
In the lawsuit, the player and a second passenger made four complaints to flight attendants. They said the woman was making “unwanted sexual advances” before she was finally moved to another seat.
The two men are suing the airline because United wouldn’t give them the names of the woman, the flight attendants and potential witnesses. They are also suing United Airlines because “the airline failed to follow policies to respond to sexual harassment and assault,” on the flight.
From ESPN:
According to the lawsuit, the men first alerted flight attendants that the woman was disruptive and belligerent and appeared to be intoxicated. They notified the flight attendants again when the woman made sexual advances toward the NFL player, massaging his knees and thighs. More than an hour into the flight, the woman’s advances intensified, the men allege, and she allegedly grabbed and groped the player. Flight attendants again were notified.
The woman continued her advances, the lawsuit says, pulling off the protective face mask the player was wearing and grabbing his genitals. At that point, the player jumped up from his seat and complained in front of the entire plane that the woman was touching him. The player went to the rear of the plane and again notified a flight attendant. That’s when the woman was removed from the row, according to the lawsuit.
The Feb. 10 flight was from Los Angeles to Newark, New Jersey.
ESPN reports the suit alleges “United’s failure to have or enforce adequate policies and procedures for the prevention of and response to in-flight sexual assaults is a breach of its duty to protect and care for its passengers.”