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Mother and daughter due Delta Airlines over a mid-flight assault by a passenger
Woman and daughter sue Delta Air Lines over alleged negligence in allowing intoxicated passenger to assault them.
In a recent incident, a woman and her 16-year-old daughter have filed a lawsuit against Delta Air Lines, alleging negligence that allowed a male passenger to consume an excessive amount of alcohol during a flight. The lawsuit claims that the airline's flight attendants did nothing to prevent the man's behavior, which led to him sexually assaulting both women while onboard.
According to court documents filed in New York's Eastern District, the plaintiffs boarded a flight from JFK Airport to Athens, Greece, in late July 2022. They were seated next to an unnamed male passenger who was already intoxicated when he boarded the flight. Despite his obvious state of intoxication, the flight attendants continued to serve him drinks, reportedly at least 10 vodkas on ice.
As the nearly 9-hour flight progressed, the man's behavior became increasingly disturbing. He attempted to engage the young woman seated beside him in conversation, making both her and her mother feel unsafe with his yelling, obscene gestures, and inappropriate touching. Distressed by the situation, the woman sought help from the flight attendants, but her pleas were allegedly ignored.
According to the lawsuit, "The Delta flight attendant did nothing to help and just said 'be patient' before walking away."
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As the man's drunkenness escalated, he had to rush to the restroom to vomit. Meanwhile, the desperate mother tried to have their seats changed but was unsuccessful. When she called another flight attendant for help, her concerns were once again brushed aside as the crew member admitted to serving the already intoxicated man more wine.
In the midst of this ordeal, the teenage girl suffered a panic attack, leaving her even more vulnerable to the male passenger's predatory advances. The lawsuit alleges that he reached under her shirt during the panic attack, compounding the trauma the family had to endure during the flight.
Upon landing, the victims were offered 5,000 "Sky Miles" as an apology, but the employees failed to notify the authorities about the man's shocking behavior. The plaintiffs are now seeking $2 million in damages, holding Delta Air Lines accountable for their alleged negligence.
