Woman assaulted on American Airlines flight files federal suit against airline
A woman who was sexually assaulted by a North Texas man while onboard an American Airlines flight has filed a federal lawsuit against the Fort Worth-based airline, according to court documents.
The lawsuit, filed April 24 in the Northern District of California, alleges that the assault was “the direct result of a culture at American Airlines that enables sexual predators,” the suit reads.
The suit also names the man, Cherian Abraham, as a co-defendant in the case, according to court documents.
The woman, named in the lawsuit as Barbara Morgan, was seated next to Abraham on an overnight flight from San Francisco to Dallas-Fort Worth Airport last April, according to the lawsuit.
Morgan’s husband was also on board the flight and seated away from his wife, according to the lawsuit.
Morgan asked flight attendants if she could move and be seated next to her husband, but was told a seat change would cost an additional $70, according to the lawsuit.
After cabin lights were dimmed, Abraham allegedly began to grope Morgan, according to the lawsuit. Morgan did not report the assault while in the air because she feared the plane would be rerouted, angering other passengers.
Morgan later reported the assault online to the airline’s customer service, but did not receive a response until over a week later, according to the lawsuit.
When the airline did respond to Morgan’s complaint, a representative dismissed the allegation of sexual assault and shifted blame onto Morgan for not reporting the incident while in the air, the lawsuit states.
Abraham was noted to have assaulted at least one other woman aboard an American Airlines flight prior to the incident involving Morgan, according to the lawsuit.
Last month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Washington announced it would seek charges against Abraham for the subsequent assault of another woman on an American Airlines flight, according to the lawsuit.
Morgan is seeking damages, court costs and attorney’s fees, according to the lawsuit.
Representatives for American Airlines and lawyers for Cherian Abraham could not immediately be reached for comment Monday evening.
