A man has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Spirit Airlines alleging that a flight attendant sexually assaulted him during a flight from Myrtle Beach, California to Philadelphia. The flight attendant is claimed to have grabbed the victim’s penis before attempting to unzip his pants after plying the victim with alcohol and luring him to the galley at the back of the plane.
The assault took place on June 30, 2021, according to the lawsuit filed on behalf of the victim in the Pennsylvania Eastern District Court last week. A criminal complaint has already been filed with local police and the FBI according to the victim’s lawyers.
The victim, who lives in Atlanta, says he was sitting in row 26 near the back of the plane when a male flight attendant approached him and asked if he wanted some water. When the victim, who has only been identified as M.B. to protect his identity, accepted the water, the flight attendant waived the usual fee.
A short time later, the flight attendant allegedly returned and winked at M.B. before thrusting some mini bottles of Jack Daniels at his chest. The victim didn’t think too much of this but the flight attendant soon returned and again offered him more Jack Daniels.
On a third pass by, the flight attendant passed the victim a balled-up napkin which when unfolded revealed a telephone number.
With the plane nearing Philadephia, the flight attendant is then claimed to have approached the victim and asked him to accompany him to the back of the plane. M.B. says that he felt he was legally obliged to join the flight attendant because of their position of power in the air.
Once in the rear galley, the flight attendant “looked around and then, without warning, grabbed, groped and fondled” the victim’s penis before attempting to unzip his pants.
The victim says he felt violated and was shocked and embarrassed by the flight attendant’s actions. He escaped to the lavatory to compose himself before returning to his seat.
He wanted to report the assault but didn’t even know the flight attendants name. Armed with the flight attendant’s phone number, the victim says he had a text conversation in which the person on the other end asked him what he was doing after the flight.
The other person also allegedly apologized to the victim and said he “didn’t mean to be disrespectful”.
The victim reported the assault to airport police and the FBI.
The lawsuit alleges that Spirit airlines already “knew or should have known about the sexual abuse being committed by its employee” and his “propensities to sexual violence, physical violence and sexual deviance.”
The airline is being sued for negligence, while the unidentified flight attendant is being sued for battery and assault. The victim is seeking at least $150,000 in damages from the defendants.
Just remember the FA’s are there “Primarily for your safety”