United Airlines Sued for Alleged Racial Incident
Jennifer Billock December 04, 2018
Chicago, IL, USA - March 17, 2016: A United Airlines 747-400 landing on 28C at the Chicago O'hare Airport.
United Airlines is in the hot seat once again due to a former NBA player suing the airline over what he says was an obvious race-baiting incident involving a flight attendant who refused to let him sit in an empty exit row with his son, even after a fellow passenger offered to switch seats with him.
Former Utah Jazz player Eric Murdock has launched a $10 million lawsuit against United Airlines along with another customer for what he says was an obvious race-baiting incident. The fight in question was from Newark to Las Vegas in July. Murdock asked a flight attendant if he and his son – who was seated in a different row – could sit together in the empty exit row.
According to the lawsuit, reported by the New York Post, the flight attendant said “no” because it was a premium seat, which cost more. Another passenger, ticketed for that row, eventually boarded and offered to switch seats with Murdock, who had accepted and was allegedly ordered back to his seat by the flight attendant.
Thirty minutes later, the lawsuit says, the white flight attendant allowed a white woman to sit in the exit row and would not explain why to Murdock, who is black. Another black passenger, Brenda Williams, saw the incident and asked the flight attendant why she was being so rude to Murdock. The lawsuit states that the flight attendant then began shouting at Williams and tried to steal her phone.
Williams and Murdock were escorted off the plane and questioned immediately after it landed. They were released without any charges.
[Photo: Shutterstock]
@sfoeuroflyer Please read the article carefully. The seat was empty, he requested the flight attendant IF he could sit there. Another passenger was will to change sears with him. The attendant later allowed a white woman to sit in that seat. The whole thing is race baiting at the minimum. And you sir are a MORON.
Seems like several posters are using selective interpretations to deny racism. I wonder why it's so important to them to deny the possibility that the FAs actions were based on prejudice?
The NBA player obviously hasn’t traveled much with us common folks. The FA’s police people poaching economy plus seats rigorously, this has nothing to do with anything but money. The thought that a female flight attendant is going to pick a fight with a 6’6” professional athlete is ridiculous. The spoiled brat, privileged professional athlete simply isn’t used to being treated like the rest of us mortals. In 4.6M BIS miles on UA I’ve only ever once seen UA have police escort a passenger from the plane after landing, trust me it was justified. The decision to do this is very rare and would only be made with the full crews as well as the UA ground teams involvement. Being a FA is a tough, thankless job.
So he is sueing because his self-upgrade to exit row didn't go through? I think it's very reasonable that FAs don't put those who tried to self-upgrade on top of the list when eventually handing out such upgrades.
Hard to believe a former NBA player could not afford FC none the less a "premium" ticket for his kid. Doesn't appear that much planning went into this trip on his part.