CEO claims co-passenger touched himself on American Airlines flight, attendant said: 'Men just do...'
A fashion entrepreneur sued American Airlines after a fellow passenger allegedly masturbated for an hour next to her during a flight from New York to Milan.
A woman has filed a lawsuit against American Airlines, claiming the flight crew failed to act after a male passenger masturbated next to her for an hour during an international flight, reported the New York Post.
Neel Elsherif, CEO of three companies, including luxury vegan leather brand Mela, was travelling from New York to Milan on May 27 when she noticed the man seated beside her behaving inappropriately. According to the lawsuit filed in Brooklyn Federal Court, the unidentified man, referred to as "John Doe," consumed multiple glasses of champagne before he began touching himself over his pants.
Elsherif, who had paid $3,000 (approximately ₹2.5 lakh) for her premium economy seat, felt trapped and panicked as the man continued for nearly an hour. No crew members walked through the cabin during this time, the lawsuit states.
Accused the airline of negligence
According to the outlet, after he stopped, Elsherif reported the incident to a flight attendant, expecting assistance. Instead, she was told there was “nothing really that [she] could do,” except move to coach. To her shock, the flight attendant further dismissed her concerns, saying, “Men just do stuff like that,” and adding that her own husband engaged in similar behavior.
Elsherif accused the airline of failing to take action, noting that the crew did not report the incident or confront the perpetrator. She also alleged discrimination, stating that her claims were not taken seriously because she is an Arab woman.
The lawsuit accuses American Airlines of negligence and emotional distress. In response, a spokesperson for the airline stated, “American strives to provide a positive experience to everyone who travels with us. We are reviewing the allegations of the complaint.”
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