A passenger says she reported a man pleasuring himself next to her on a United flight. Then staff allegedly told her to keep sitting there

A pediatric crisis therapist said she spotted the passenger beside her masturbating shortly after takeoff on a United flight from Rochester, New York, to Newark Liberty International Airport. The 25-year-old woman, whose name has not been released, told NBC the flight left around 6 a.m. on Sept. 3.

She described the man as looking 35 to 40 years old, “pretty normal looking,” and “unassuming.” She said he had on hiking pants and a T-shirt. In the interview published Sept. 22, she stated, “I just got the sense [he] had done it before … People don’t just do those things at 6 a.m.”

She said she told the United crew right away that she did not want to stay in that seat. Staff allegedly replied that the plane had no other open seats.

United says it is looking into the account given by the passenger

The woman claimed the crew let her stand in the aisle for roughly an hour. She said they then told her she had to sit again so the plane could land. “On multiple instances, I said I feel uncomfortable doing that,” she told NBC.

She alleged the crew said the remaining time next to the man would be only about five minutes. She said the wait stretched far longer because their seats were near the back and they had to stay put until other passengers left the aircraft.

Once they could stand, she claimed the man walked off with no action taken against him. At the gate she said she told a United agent what had happened, and the agent answered, “What am I supposed to do about it?”

She filed reports with United Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration and also called the FBI. A United representative later emailed her, according to messages NBC reviewed: “I can imagine how upsetting and uncomfortable it must have been to experience behavior from another passenger that caused you concern, particularly while seated in a location where you felt concerned.”

The passenger said those words felt offensive and placed blame on her. She responded, “I DID remove myself and ask for help. Additionally, framing public masturbation as ‘behavior that caused me concern’ implies that what occurred could somehow be perceived as acceptable.” Passenger frustration with staff responses is not unique, as a Southwest passenger said she was publicly humiliated after staff allegedly judged her size.

United offered her a $100 flight credit, she said, after a trip that cost about $400. A United spokesperson told People on Sept. 22, “We are looking into this report but don’t have anything additional to share at this time.” She also said, “It is the first time I’ve been purposely trapped by people who were supposed to be helping me.”