Drunk Passenger Allegedly Assaults Mother and Daughter On Delta Flight to Athens

A mother and daughter who were flying Delta Air Lines from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Athens International Airport (ATH) are suing the airline for $2 million. The lawsuit alleges that the airline served another passenger 11 alcoholic beverages and that he then proceeded to inappropriately touch both the mother and daughter.

Fox Business reports that the passengers allege that the other passenger started by asking the underage daughter inappropriate questions. He was asked to stop. He then mumbled that he was from Connecticut before allegedly began touching the girl. He continued “mumbling drunkenly and forcefully kicking the seats in front of them causing the rows of seats to shake” before yelling and making obscene gestures. At some point during all of this, it’s reported that he touched the girl’s bra strap under her shirt and the mother’s thigh. They both jumped out of their seats and asked flight attendants to be moved. They also requested that the man not be served any more alcohol. Both requests were denied and the complaint states that they were simply told to “be patient.” The lead flight attendant finally told the man to stop talking to them, but this only set him off further.

The lawsuit reads:

The $2 million lawsuit accuses Delta of gross negligence and demands compensation for the victims. It states Delta flight attendants continued to serve the intoxicated man drinks even though he was noticeably drunk.

The teen was “terrified” and began to have a panic attack. She put her head down in her mother’s lap — and that’s when the man allegedly slid his “clammy finger” underneath her shirt and groped for the clasp on her bra strap. “Trembling, petrified and crying,” the teen leaped out of her seat and away from the man, the lawsuit states.

But the man proceeded to place his hand on the mother’s leg and allegedly “began moving his hand” up the inside of her thigh. She screamed too and jumped out of her seat.”

Later in the flight, the man got up to use the lavatory. The victims heard him vomiting and another nearby male passenger agreed to change seats. The perpetrator allegedly returned to his seat with a glass of red wine.

After the plane landed in Athens, the flight crew allegedly let the intoxicated man exit the aircraft without calling local authorities or informing US law enforcement. As an apology for the incident, the mother and daughter were each offered 5,000 SkyMiles®.

Anthony’s Take: This is unacceptable on so many levels. No one should ever be made to feel unsafe or uncomfortable. If the crew did serve him to this excessive level than they should receive disciplinary actions as well.

(H/T: View from the Wing.)