Passenger Accuses United Airlines Pilot of Forcible Bathroom Removal
An Orthodox Jewish traveler alleges that a United Airlines pilot forcibly extracted him from an airplane lavatory while he was experiencing constipation. The incident reportedly occurred during a flight from Tulum, Mexico, to Houston and resulted in the exposure of his genitals to fellow passengers.
Lawsuit Filed Over Alleged Mistreatment
Yisroel Liebb, a resident of New Jersey, detailed his account of the contentious journey in a federal lawsuit filed this week. The suit names both United Airlines and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as defendants. Liebb claims that Homeland Security officers boarded the aircraft upon arrival and subsequently detained him in handcuffs.
Liebb and a travel companion, also Orthodox Jewish, assert they missed a connecting flight to New York City due to the incident. They state that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents escorted them through the airport terminal, placed them in holding cells, and searched their luggage.
CBP and United Decline Detailed Comment
Hilton Beckham, CBP assistant commissioner for public affairs, acknowledged the agency’s response to “reports of a disturbance on a flight at the request of the airline.” However, Beckham stated, “Due to the ongoing litigation, we are unable to provide any further comment.”
United Airlines has also declined to comment on the allegations. Inquiries seeking comment from the legal representative of Liebb and his fellow traveler, Jacob Sebbag, are pending.
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Details of the In-Flight Incident
According to the lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday, the incident unfolded on January 28. Liebb states he had been in the rear lavatory for approximately 20 minutes when a flight attendant asked Sebbag, who was napping, to check on him.
Liebb reportedly informed Sebbag of his digestive issues and assured him he would exit the lavatory shortly. Sebbag then relayed this information to the flight attendant, as per the lawsuit.
Around ten minutes later, while Liebb was still in the lavatory, the pilot approached Sebbag and instructed him to again check on Liebb, the lawsuit details. Subsequently, the pilot allegedly yelled at Liebb to immediately vacate the bathroom.
Liebb responded that he was finishing and would be out momentarily.
Pilot Allegedly Forced Entry and Exposed Passenger
The lawsuit alleges that the pilot then broke the lavatory door lock, forcibly opened the door, and physically pulled Liebb out while his trousers were still around his ankles. This action purportedly exposed Liebb’s genitalia to Sebbag, flight attendants, and passengers in the vicinity.
The lawsuit emphasizes Liebb’s claim of feeling “sexually violated and embarrassed after having been publicly exposed in the nude.”
Verbal Altercation and Post-Flight Detention
The legal document further claims that the pilot, with Sebbag guiding Liebb, proceeded to push them back to their seats. During this time, the pilot allegedly made threats of arrest and made disparaging remarks about their Jewish faith, stating “how ‘Jews act’,” according to the lawsuit.
Upon landing in Houston after the two-hour flight, Liebb and Sebbag state that approximately six CBP officers boarded the plane and escorted them off.
Liebb recounts asking an officer about the reason for their detention. He claims the officer responded by tightening his handcuffs and stating, “This isn’t county or state. We are homeland. You have no rights here.”
Consequences of the Incident
United Airlines reportedly rebooked the men on a flight to New York City for the following day at no charge. However, Liebb and Sebbag contend that the complimentary tickets did not offset the expenses incurred for an overnight hotel stay and meals during their forced delay.
The two men also reported experiencing “severe wrist pain” from the handcuffs, which “persisted for days afterwards.”