A United Airlines passenger has accused the flight crew of ignoring her complaints after she alleged her seatmate masturbated next to her on a flight from Rochester, New York, to Newark, New Jersey. The 25-year-old therapist stated that the man began touching himself and staring at her during the early morning flight on September 3.
She reported the incident to the flight attendants, who allowed her to stand for a portion of the journey. However, as the plane prepared to land, the woman claims she was instructed to return to her original seat next to the man, as no other seats were available. She expressed her discomfort on multiple occasions, but alleges a flight attendant dismissed her concerns, stating she would only need to sit there for a few more minutes.
The passenger further alleged that United Airlines failed to take appropriate action upon landing, not alerting authorities or preventing the man from disembarking. She recounted an interaction with an airport agent who she claims was dismissive and suggested she contact law enforcement herself.
The woman has since reported the incident to the Federal Aviation Administration, the FBI, and United Airlines. She also expressed a belief that this was not the man's first such offense, citing a sense that he had a prior history of similar behavior.
A spokesperson for United Airlines stated that the company takes such matters seriously and is investigating the incident. "The safety of our customers and colleagues is our top priority. We take these matters seriously and are looking into what happened. We have been in contact with the customer and apologized for her experience," the spokesperson said. The FAA declined to comment, and the FBI did not immediately respond to requests for comment.