The woman sat between a friend and the “unknown male passenger” during the two-hour flight, the documents say.
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A New Jersey Woman has filed suit against American Airlinesclaimed she was sexually assaulted by a stranger during a flight and accused the airline of failing to prevent the attack. The incident allegedly occurred on an overnight flight from Charlotte, NC, to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on August 26, 2022, according to federal court documents filed last week.
The complaint states that the woman fell asleep shortly after the flight began and later woke up to find that the perpetrator “had his left arm in her pants and his right hand was pressing her hand onto his penis.” The woman was sitting between a friend and the “unknown male passenger” during the two-hour flight, the documents say. The Independent.
According to the lawsuit, the man covered himself and the victim with his black puffer jacket and began to “digitally penetrate” her while she was sleeping, so that when she woke up, she was in a state of shock and panic. The attacker then climbed on top of her and attempted to “penetrate her with his penis, which he partially succeeded in doing,” the lawsuit states.
It continued: “The plaintiff gathered his courage and pushed the perpetrator away from him, whereupon the perpetrator quickly returned to his seat.”
The lawsuit also alleged that after noticing a flight attendant nearby, the attacker attempted to act normal by offering the woman water while holding her hand. The woman soon woke her friend and they reported the assault to a flight attendant, who then moved them to another seat for the remainder of the flight.
After landing, the man was reportedly escorted off the plane and authorities took statements from the woman and other witnesses. However, the lawsuit states that it remains unclear “whether the perpetrator was taken into custody and/or ever charged with sexually assaulting the plaintiff.”
Meanwhile, an American Airlines spokesman said in a statement: “We are reviewing the complaint and the details of the flight. The safety and comfort of our customers is American’s highest priority.”
