Airline offers woman $100 credit after she was allegedly forced to be seated next to man pleasuring himself

United Airlines is currently investigating after a 25-year-old passenger reported being forced to sit next to a man who was allegedly masturbating during her flight. The 25-year-old passenger departed Rochester, New York, for Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey around 6 a.m. The alleged incident reportedly took place earlier this month, and the passenger claimed she felt trapped and unsupported by the airline staff tasked with her safety, as reported by NBC News.

Shortly after departure, she claims to have noticed the man sitting beside her engaged in a sexual act. She estimated he was between 35 and 40 years old and described him as appearing “pretty normal looking” and “unassuming” while wearing a T-shirt and hiking pants. After she alerted the flight staff, she claims she was allowed to stand for about an hour. However, when the plane began its descent, she claims was told she had to return to her seat as there were no other available spots on the aircraft. 

The woman stated, “On multiple instances, I said I feel uncomfortable doing that.” She was reportedly told she would only need to sit there for about five minutes until landing. However, the wait was much longer, as the pair were seated toward the back and had to wait for the rest of the plane to empty. A United Airlines spokesperson said the company is looking into the report. “We are looking into this report but don’t have anything additional to share at this time,” the spokesperson said. 

She was forced to stand for an hour, while the man stayed in his seat

The woman claimed that when she attempted to report the incident to a United Airlines agent at the gate, the employee asked, “What am I supposed to do about it?” The man supposedly left the plane without facing any immediate consequences. Following the flight, the woman filed complaints with United Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration and contacted the FBI. 

She shared that the airline’s representative used what she described as “offensive” and “blaming language” in emails. One email described what happened as “behavior from another passenger that caused you concern.” The airline provided her with a $100 flight credit, even though her original ticket cost approximately $400. The complaint comes weeks after a disabled traveler said the carrier left her stranded on a jet bridge. 

The woman, a pediatric crisis therapist, said, “It is the first time I’ve been purposely trapped by people who were supposed to be helping me.” Many took to comment on the disgusting behavior; one commenter said: “Why didn’t she publicly SHAME him?” However, others took to comment on the woman’s behavior at the time, saying, “I can’t believe some of the comments joking about this and blaming the victim by saying she should have handled the situation differently.”