Passenger Slams United Airlines Over Alleged In-Flight Masturbation Incident

A woman has criticized United Airlines for its response to an alleged incident of a passenger watching pornography and masturbating next to her in first class on a flight from San Diego to Newark. The woman recounted the experience on a red-eye flight, stating she chose first class for greater comfort and sleep.

According to her account, shortly after takeoff, she observed the man seated next to her viewing pornography and making "jerking motions" under his blanket. "I didn’t know what to do," the woman told NBC 7. "I was frozen. Horrified…I’m essentially trapped in the window seat. I would have to climb over him because he’s got his seat fully reclined in order to get out."

She reported the incident to a flight attendant. The woman claimed that the flight attendant did not immediately offer assistance or a seat change. After texting friends, she requested to be moved. She described her reaction as a "trauma response of fawning," where she attempted to make it easier for the flight attendants to help her.

The flight crew eventually moved her to a different seat, swapping her with another passenger. However, the woman stated that the man involved was not confronted by authorities upon landing and disembarked without incident. She reported that she was not advised to contact the FBI until several days later, when she spoke with United customer service.

United Airlines issued a statement acknowledging the seriousness of the issue. "We take this issue seriously. We spoke with the customer and apologized for her experience. We have also banned the other person involved pending our investigation," the airline said. The airline offered the woman either $1,000 in travel credit or 50,000 miles as an apology, which she accepted, according to a customer service call recording shared with NBC 7.

Airlines are not mandated to report incidents of passenger sexual misconduct to law enforcement or federal agencies. The FBI advises passengers who feel uncomfortable to move away from their seats and inform the crew that they do not feel safe and require a different seat. For women traveling alone, choosing an aisle seat is recommended if possible.