13-year-old Molested by Man on Plane; Airline Facing Lawsuit Filed by Victim
Southwest Airlines is facing a lawsuit following a teenager’s claim that the airline did not adequately protect him from an alleged in-flight sexual assault in 2022.
Greenberg Gross LLP recently announced that they have filed a lawsuit against an airline on behalf of a teenager who reported being sexually assaulted by a man during a connecting flight from Las Vegas to Portland on July 4, 2022.
The complaint, which was obtained by PEOPLE, was filed on Wednesday, July 17 in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
During that time, the teenager, who was 16 years old, and his family were traveling to a wedding in Portland. They took a flight from San Diego to Las Vegas, according to the complaint. According to the lawsuit, the family was one of the last to board their second flight in Las Vegas because of a boarding group assignment. As a result, a flight attendant directed the teenager to a middle seat near the back of the plane.
Southwest’s website states that they provide family boarding for adults traveling with a child six years old or younger. This allows them to board between groups A and B. In addition, the airline mentions that if passengers are traveling with a child between the ages of seven and thirteen, they will make an effort to seat the child next to an accompanying passenger who is fourteen or older, whenever possible and without any extra charge.
According to the complaint, the boy was seated separately from his family, sandwiched between two adult men. The airline’s “boarding and seating policies” were cited as the reason by the company. According to reports, one of the individuals involved in the incident was apparently under the influence of alcohol. The assault took place when the lights in the plane’s cabin were dimmed and a fellow passenger had fallen asleep.
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A lawsuit has been filed alleging that the man-made inappropriate physical advances toward the boy, including grabbing his thighs and attempting to kiss him. According to reports, the man is accused of engaging in inappropriate behavior with a young boy, involving unwanted touching.
The complaint alleges that the man proceeded to sexually assault the plaintiff, feeling empowered by the absence of any flight attendant intervention or monitoring.
According to the complaint, the boy was unable to get the attention of his parents, who were seated at a distance from him during the flight. Upon disembarking the aircraft, it is reported that he became overwhelmed with emotion and confided in his parents about the incident. Subsequently, his family reached out to the Port of Portland Police Department.
The law firm referenced a previous sexual assault case involving a 13-year-old girl who traveled with Southwest Airlines, claiming that there have been no improvements.
“The negligence displayed by Southwest Airlines in this instance highlights a larger systemic issue that needs to be resolved in order to guarantee the safety and welfare of all passengers, particularly minors,” stated Daniel S. Cha, a partner at Greenberg Gross. “This lawsuit highlights the importance of airlines adopting and enforcing policies that prioritize the safety of passengers against sexual assault.”
The plaintiff, in a statement released through his law firm, expressed his decision to speak out due to the shared experiences of many others who face similar anxiety and fear on a daily basis.
“It’s important for people to understand that there are solutions,” he expressed. “We must take action to ensure the safety of children.”
The complaint states that the plaintiff is seeking “relief,” which includes “compensatory general damages in an amount to be proven at trial.”
