hughw

What's to be made of this one...This looks pretty bad for UA if true...especially this "Dowling reported the incident to a flight attendant and asked to be moved, but the employee told her there were no open seats and suggested that she speak to her assailant instead." although Purser finally moved her.

https://nypost.com/2018/07/10/horny-...united-flight/

sannmann

laxmillenial

So..let me see if I got this straight

July 2016 - Incident "allegedly" occurs
December 2016 - Criminal Lawsuit Filed
June 2017 - "Alleged assailant" acquitted of all charges
And now... July 2018 - Suing United? Sounds like a $$$ grab to me.

My questions:
"No open seats", yet she was moved to another seat in the same row. Interesting contradiction...
How can you sue United when the assailant was cleared of all charges? So what are you suing United for? According to the courts, there was no wrongdoing?

Edit: This is just me thinking out loud (and it might be a little harsh, so sorry in advanced), but if someone was touching me inappropriately and there was an empty seat a couple of seats away or across the aisle, I would move without asking. Why sit there and endure this torment? Why not do something (the little that you possibly can do on an aircraft) to make the situation a little less tormenting?

Aussienarelle

Since Dowling was UG presumably some status with United. Criminal matters have a higher threshold than civil (think the OJ criminal and civil prosecutions) so glad she is still able to seek justice.

Glad the purser did the right thing, but the FA needs retraining. I have friends who have suffered sexual assaults and speaking to the perpetrator is not something most of them would be capable of doing. Some of them can barely talk about the assaults.

The fact Dowling reported it the next day, and the purser moved her to a new seat speaks volumes to me about the legitimacy of the complaint. Few women want to admit they suffered such an assault (generalization. I know). Many do not want to press charges and it takes courage to do so.

$75,000 is not a "money grab" attempt in my mind but a legitimate claim.

docbert

Not necessarily - they could have asked someone else to swap seats. Likely a male, and possible a UA staff member if there was one in the cabin (or pilot rest maybe?). No free seats in business on HKG-SFO would certainly not at all be surprising.

Based on the description in the article (which is obviously not the entire story) it's hard to see what UA could have done to avoid things. Yes, the original FA should have acted differently, but presuming she spoke to the purser almost immediately after that FA then it almost certainly didn't change the outcome in any way.

Serving the passenger "at least three to four vodka sodas" over potentially a period of several hours is hardly what I'd consider "excessive alcohol".

KathyWdrf

It's a good idea to actually read the article before posting your comments.

Ditka

adambrau

I know someone who's SO was sexually assaulted and all I can advise is that the passenger is right to go after United and FedEx, but should aim for a lot more than $75k. She lost her criminal case. We don't know all the facts but based on the OP's post United didn't exactly act in a proactive way here to put a stop to this after round one which is shameful, but again we don't know all the facts. These sorts of incidents can ruin people's lives forever, sadly in the case of the victim and unfortunately in the case of the FedEx pilot, and another big scratch on United's reputation. Only people who win here are the attorneys.

You can pursue a civil and and a criminal case. The criminal case would be against the FedEx pilot. The civil litigation against United could be handled through a lawsuit and settled in mediation or other ways.

malgudi

Great ... blame the woman for not being more proactive and moving to a different seat!

chavala

laxmillenial

There is nowhere where I blamed the woman for not moving.

I was merely pointing out the inconsistencies that have me wondering. If it was full, then I certainly lay the blame more on UA for not doing more as the passenger couldn't. If it was not, then again, I wonder why she would sit and endure it.

Would you just sit there?

I understand people are victims. Whether or not there was an empty seat, if the Fedex Pilot did what he did, it's wrong. But why sit there and make yourself a victim even longer? Is that what you would want your daughter to do? It's like, why not move yourself AND report it / raise a ruckus?

chavala

laxmillenial

I'm not defending the Fedex Pilot at all, if he did what he did. I'm merely saying, why not remove yourself from the situation using your own power if you don't like it / if you can and talk to authorities (whomever they may be aka UA FA's / Pursers in the air). At that point it shouldn't matter who's inconveniencing who. Like you said it's "time to fight back". Use your own power to move, to "defend" yourself, to raise a ruckus. The victim just seemed a bit passive...whether it's from shock or disbelief, ok. Or maybe it's poor article writing (or reading lol).

ErgoTraveler

Plus Ambien as I read I think in one of the UK stories. Never a good combination... That is not a pass on the alleged perp. Odd, they only say he was acquitted. I assume charges filed and brought to trial, wonder if jury or judge trial to acquit.

chavala