Lawsuit: New Jersey woman sexually harassed by stranger on American Airlines flight

A New Jersey woman was sexually assaulted on an American Airlines flight by a stranger who climbed on top of her in mid-air – and she blames the airline for failing to prevent the attack, a new lawsuit says.

The heinous attack occurred during an overnight flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on August 26, 2022, according to documents filed in federal court last week.

Shortly after the plane took off, the woman fell asleep and later “woke up to find the perpetrator's left arm in her pants and his right hand pressing her hand onto his penis,” the lawsuit states.

The woman, whose name the Post did not disclose, sat between a friend and the “unknown male passenger” during the two-hour flight, the lawsuit states.

The man covered himself and the victim with his black puffer jacket and “digitally penetrated” her while she slept, leaving her in “a state of shock and panic” when she woke up, the newspapers say.

The stranger then climbed on top of her and “attempted to penetrate her with his penis, which he partially succeeded in doing,” the lawsuit states.

“The plaintiff gathered his courage and pushed the perpetrator away, whereupon the perpetrator quickly returned to his seat,” the lawsuit states.

The attacker then tried to act like nothing had happened when he noticed a flight attendant nearby and asked the victim if she wanted some water while “forcibly holding her hand,” according to the lawsuit.

Shortly thereafter, the woman woke her friend and they reported the assault along with a flight attendant, who assigned the victim a different seat for the remainder of the flight, according to the lawsuit.

When the flight landed, the man was “escorted from the aircraft” and authorities took accounts from the victim and other witnesses to the assault, the lawsuit states. However, it is “unknown whether the perpetrator was taken into custody and/or ever charged with the sexual assault of the plaintiff,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit alleges that the airline industry is “well aware” of the rise in sexual assaults on board aircraft. Citing FBI data, it says 96 cases of sexual assault on board aircraft were opened last year.

The lawsuit alleges that the woman “did nothing to cause or contribute to the attack she suffered” and that American Airlines had a “duty of care” to ensure her safety during the flight.

“American Airlines breached its duty of care by failing to properly monitor the cabin, failing to prevent the sexual assault, and failing to intervene promptly when the assault occurred,” the lawsuit states.

The woman's lawyer, Brian Andris, told the Washington Post on Monday: “As alleged in the complaint, we look forward to seeking justice on behalf of our client to redress this terrible injustice for all that she has suffered.”

The alleged perpetrator is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit and does not have an attorney listed in court records.

American Airlines did not immediately respond to The Post's request for comment on Monday.