Flight attendant allegedly said “men just do stuff like that.”
Flying turned into a nightmare for a passenger on a long-haul American Airlines flight last year. During an eight-hour flight to Milan, a male passenger in premium economy allegedly masturbated for an hour, according to a co-passenger. When the woman reported the incident to a flight attendant, she claims they dismissed her concerns, saying, “men just do stuff like that.” Now, she is suing American Airlines, accusing the airline of discrimination, negligence, and infliction of emotional distress, according to People.
The alleged incident occurred in May 2024. Neel Elsherif, CEO of the vegan leather company Mela, stated in her complaint that she had purchased a $3,000 premium economy ticket for her trip from New York’s JFK Airport to Milan. She alleges that the passenger seated next to her was intoxicated and masturbated for an hour. According to the complaint, the man consumed several glasses of champagne within the first hour of the flight. As Elsherif prepared to sleep after the cabin lights dimmed, the man began rubbing himself over his pants. The behavior allegedly escalated, leaving Elsherif “stunned” and frozen in her seat. “She felt extremely uncomfortable and helpless,” the complaint states.
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Elsherif said she tried to get the attention of a flight attendant during the incident but was unsuccessful. After the man stopped, she stood up and reported the behavior to a flight attendant. However, she claims the flight attendant dismissed her concerns, saying, “men just do stuff like that.” The flight attendant reportedly told her the only option was to move to a seat in coach, despite her having paid over $3,000 for premium economy. Elsherif requested that the man be moved instead, but the flight attendant refused. Ultimately, she moved to another seat herself.
The lawsuit argues that “as a woman, [Elsherif] was expected to endure such grotesque misconduct, and [reinforced] the pernicious and unlawful stereotype that women must tolerate male predation as a fact of life.”
Elsherif reported the incident to gate agents in Milan and later to staff in New York City, but she says she was directed to call a customer service hotline.
The complaint also alleges that the flight attendant continued serving the man champagne and engaged in friendly conversation with him. Additionally, the lawsuit claims racial discrimination, stating, “The flight attendant gave John Doe [passenger] preferential treatment over [Elsherif], and treated John Doe’s safety, comfort, and convenience more importantly than [Elsherif], because John Doe is a white male.” Elsherif is of Arab and Middle Eastern descent, while the male passenger and the flight attendant are white.
Elsherif is seeking damages for emotional distress. In response, American Airlines told People in a statement, “American strives to provide a positive experience to everyone who travels with us. We are reviewing the allegations of the complaint.”
American Airlines faced multiple complaints of discrimination last year, with the NAACP publicly criticizing the airline for staff misconduct.
Related: Accused of Trafficking His Own Wife, Black Passenger Sues American Airlines for Discrimination
