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Forbes
28-03-2025
- Forbes
Passenger Files Lawsuit Over United Airlines Bathroom Incident
Small space: inside the airplane toilet. In January 2025, a passenger suffering constipation was ... More allegedly pulled out of such a lavatory naked after the pilot broke the lock on a United flight from Mexico to Houston. United Airlines has been accused of a significant violation of passenger privacy. And the alleged antisemitism of an unnamed pilot is part of the story, which United declined to discuss with me. A young Orthodox Jewish man, Yisroel Liebb, 20, was traveling on a United flight from Tulum, Mexico to Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport. Suffering from constipation, Liebb spent 30 minutes in the aircraft lavatory—until the pilot allegedly broke down the door. Liebb says in a recently filed lawsuit that the pilot then pulled him out with his pants around his ankles, exposing his nakedness to passengers and crew. Meanwhile, the pilot launched an antisemitic tirade about 'how Jews act.' Liebb and an acquaintance, Jacob Sebbag, were flying to Houston on United Airlines flight 1601. Both men were wearing traditional Orthodox Jewish garb. During the flight, Liebb left his seat to use the restroom. After 20 minutes, a flight attendant woke up Sebbag and insisted he check on Liebb, who still hadn't returned to his seat. Sebbag spoke to Liebb through the bathroom door. Liebb said he was fine but experiencing constipation, according to the complaint filed in the Southern District of New York. After another 10 minutes, Sebbag was approached by the flight's pilot, who asked him to check on Liebb again. According to the complaint, the pilot began shouting at Liebb through the lavatory door. He then turned to Sebbag and 'began loudly demanding he force Liebb out of the bathroom.' An United Airlines plane sits at the gate at Cancun International Airport (CUN) on May 26, 2023. ... More (Photo by Daniel SLIM / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images) Liebb spoke through the door, notifying the pilot that he was okay, that he was finishing up, and that he would be out momentarily. The lawsuit claims that the pilot became visibly enraged, broke the lock on the door and forced it open, pulling Liebb out of the bathroom with his pants still around his ankles. This inadvertently exposed his genitalia to Sebbag, several flight attendants, and nearby passengers. Liebb quickly pulled his pants back to his waist after being allowed to get back on his feet. The pilot then allegedly proceeded to repeatedly push Liebb and Sebbag back to their seats while 'making threats of getting the Plaintiffs arrested.' The pilot allegedly made 'scathing remarks about their Judaism and how 'Jews act.'' When the flight laned at 5:53PM CST, Liebb and Sebbag were in fact arrested by 'five to seven agents" from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Customs and Border Protection, (CBP) who pulled Liebb from his seat, bent his arms behind his back and cuffed him. Sebbag and Liebb were marched off the plane and confined in separate cells, handcuffed to tables. The lawsuit claims that their 'persons and luggage were subjected to intrusive, unconsented, unwarranted and unreasonable searches.' Paragraph 28 of the lawsuit is particularly chilling. 'An employee of Defendant United Airlines [allegedly the pilot of the aircraft] knowingly and intentionally caused physical contact with, and harm to, the persons of the Plaintiffs by pulling Liebb out of the bathroom by force and shoving the Plaintiffs through the aisle while shouting about his hatred for them because of their religious beliefs.' Among the charges raised in the civil lawsuit are 'unlawful detention and search' resulting in 'bodily injuries and emotional distress.' Liebb and Sebbag said they suffered severe wrist pain from the handcuffs for several days following, while Liebb said his head and legs were also injured. The men also missed their connecting flight to New York and had to stay over in Houston. United Airlines gave them complimentary flights for the following day, although they had to pay for their hotel rooms and food. The George Bush International Airport in Houston, TX where the two passengers were detained after ... More the incident on United Flight 1601. Obviously, the allegations raised by the attack by the unnamed United Captain, the invasion of passenger privacy and of antisemitic taunting are extremely serious. We contacted United Airlines for more information about what happened. We were told only, 'We don't have anything to share on this.' This has not been a good week for United, which was also accused of trying to shut off the ventilator of a sick one-year-old child. The child's mother, New Jersey resident Melissa Sotomayor, was reportedly told that her disabled son who relies on a tracheostomy, ventilator, and portable oxygen concentrator, 'would be fine' once the flight reached a high altitude. And unfortunately, the alleged antisemitic incident on United Flight 1601 is not the first time a major airline has been accused of such behavior. A 2022 incident involving the German airline Lufthansa resulted in the largest fine the U.S. Department of Transporation (DOT) has ever levied for a civil rights violation. In the 2022 incident, Lufthansa refused boarding to 128 Orthodox Jews who were wearing traditional garb. The Lufthansa passengers had flown to Frankfurt from New York. They had tickets on Lufthansa to travel to Budapest . The men, many traveling separately, were on a religious pilgrimage to a Hungarian town formerly known as Kerestir. But instead of dealing with a couple of individuals who refused to comply with the mask mandate, Lufthansa denied boarding to more than one hundred passengers because they were 'visibly Jewish.' This photo taken on March 10, 2025 shows the Lufthansa service desk at the Frankfurt Airport in ... More Frankfurt, Germany. Over 100 Orthodox Jews flying from New York to Budapest were denied boarding in 2022 in what the U.S. Department of Transportation determined was a civil rights violation. (Photo by Zhang Fan/Xinhua via Getty Images) Although many did not know each other and were not traveling together, the men told investigators that Lufthansa treated them as if they were a group. They denied boarding to all over alleged misbehavior by a few passengers. Eventually a phone video emerged, with a Lufthansa supervisor saying to a Jewish passenger that those who were banned are 'Jewish from JFK.' The supervisor was recorded saying 'It's Jewish people who were the mess, who made the problems, everyone has to pay for a couple.' In October of 2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation fined Lufthansa $4 million for its treatment of the passengers, the largest fine the agency has issued against an airline for civil-rights violations. The department said most of the 128 passengers who were denied boarding 'wore distinctive garb typically worn by Orthodox Jewish men,' as did Liebb and Sebbag in the United case. In the aftermath of the incident on Flight 1601, Liebb and Sebbag reportedly believe that the United Airlines pilot deliberately shared misinformation with the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, and the Transportation Safety Administration. The men believe that the pilot's 'tip' led to them to be unlawfully detained and searched. Lufthansa reached a settlement with most of the affected passengers in 2022. Whether that will ultimately happen in the Flight 1601 case, where Liebb and Sebbag are seeking damages for emotional distress, and the costs of their legal fees, is unclear. But financial damages alone do not erase the lingering pain of discrimination and embarrassment at the loss of privacy. United needs to do a full and transparent investigation into what occurred, particularly if the actions of the pilot were as inappropriate as described. Global antisemitism has surged 340% in the last two years. It is dismaying that it appears to have spread to the 'friendly skies' as well. Stock image of mature man having nausea on a plane.
Forbes
28-03-2025
- Forbes
Did United Airlines Pilot Attack Flyer For Too Much Time In The Loo?
Small space: inside the airplane toilet. In January 2025, a passenger suffering constipation was ... More allegedly pulled out of such a lavatory naked after the pilot broke the lock on a United flight from Mexico to Houston. United Airlines has been accused of a significant violation of passenger privacy. And the alleged antisemitism of an unnamed pilot is part of the ugly story, which United refused to discuss with us. A young Orthodox Jewish man, Yisroel Liebb, 20, was traveling on a United flight from Tulum, Mexico to Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport. Suffering from constipation, Liebb spent 30 minutes in the aircraft lavatory—until the pilot allegedly broke down the door. Liebb says in a recently filed lawsuit that the pilot then pulled him out with his pants around his ankles, exposing his nakedness to passengers and crew. Meanwhile, the pilot launched an antisemitic tirade about 'how Jews act.' Liebb and an acquaintance, Jacob Sebbag, were flying to Houston on United Airlines flight 1601. Both men were wearing traditional Orthodox Jewish garb. During the flight, Liebb left his seat to use the restroom. After 20 minutes, a flight attendant woke up Sebbag and insisted he check on Liebb, who still hadn't returned to his seat. Sebbag spoke to Liebb through the bathroom door. Liebb said he was fine but experiencing constipation, according to the complaint filed in the Southern District of New York. After another 10 minutes, Sebbag was approached by the flight's pilot, who asked him to check on Liebb again. According to the complaint, the pilot began shouting at Liebb through the lavatory door. He then turned to Sebbag and 'began loudly demanding he force Liebb out of the bathroom.' An United Airlines plane sits at the gate at Cancun International Airport (CUN) on May 26, 2023. ... More (Photo by Daniel SLIM / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images) Liebb spoke through the door, notifying the pilot that he was okay, that he was finishing up, and that he would be out momentarily. The lawsuit claims that the pilot became visibly enraged, broke the lock on the door and forced it open, pulling Liebb out of the bathroom with his pants still around his ankles. This inadvertently exposed his genitalia to Sebbag, several flight attendants, and nearby passengers. Liebb quickly pulled his pants back to his waist after being allowed to get back on his feet. The pilot then allegedly proceeded to repeatedly push Liebb and Sebbag back to their seats while 'making threats of getting the Plaintiffs arrested.' The pilot allegedly made 'scathing remarks about their Judaism and how 'Jews act.'' When the flight laned at 5:53PM CST, Liebb and Sebbag were in fact arrested by 'five to seven agents" from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Customs and Border Protection, (CBP) who pulled Liebb from his seat, bent his arms behind his back and cuffed him. Sebbag and Liebb were marched off the plane and confined in separate cells, handcuffed to tables. The lawsuit claims that their 'persons and luggage were subjected to intrusive, unconsented, unwarranted and unreasonable searches.' Paragraph 28 of the lawsuit is particularly chilling. 'An employee of Defendant United Airlines [allegedly the pilot of the aircraft] knowingly and intentionally caused physical contact with, and harm to, the persons of the Plaintiffs by pulling Liebb out of the bathroom by force and shoving the Plaintiffs through the aisle while shouting about his hatred for them because of their religious beliefs.' Among the charges raised in the civil lawsuit are 'unlawful detention and search' resulting in 'bodily injuries and emotional distress.' Liebb and Sebbag said they suffered severe wrist pain from the handcuffs for several days following, while Liebb said his head and legs were also injured. The men also missed their connecting flight to New York and had to stay over in Houston. United Airlines gave them complimentary flights for the following day, although they had to pay for their hotel rooms and food. The George Bush International Airport in Houston, TX where the two passengers were detained after ... More the incident on United Flight 1601. Obviously, the allegations raised by the attack by the unnamed United Captain, the invasion of passenger privacy and of antisemitic taunting are extremely serious. We contacted United Airlines for more information about what happened. We were told only, 'We don't have anything to share on this.' This has not been a good week for United, which was also accused of trying to shut off the ventilator of a sick one-year-old child. The child's mother, New Jersey resident Melissa Sotomayor, was reportedly told that her disabled son who relies on a tracheostomy, ventilator, and portable oxygen concentrator, 'would be fine' once the flight reached a high altitude. And unfortunately, the alleged antisemitic incident on United Flight 1601 is not the first time a major airline has been accused of such behavior. A 2022 incident involving the German airline Lufthansa resulted in the largest fine the U.S. Department of Transporation (DOT) has ever levied for a civil rights violation. In the 2022 incident, Lufthansa refused boarding to 128 Orthodox Jews who were wearing traditional garb. The Lufthansa passengers had flown to Frankfurt from New York. They had tickets on Lufthansa to travel to Budapest . The men, many traveling separately, were on a religious pilgrimage to a Hungarian town formerly known as Kerestir. But instead of dealing with a couple of individuals who refused to comply with the mask mandate, Lufthansa denied boarding to more than one hundred passengers because they were 'visibly Jewish.' This photo taken on March 10, 2025 shows the Lufthansa service desk at the Frankfurt Airport in ... More Frankfurt, Germany. Over 100 Orthodox Jews flying from New York to Budapest were denied boarding in 2022 in what the U.S. Department of Transportation determined was a civil rights violation. (Photo by Zhang Fan/Xinhua via Getty Images) Although many did not know each other and were not traveling together, the men told investigators that Lufthansa treated them as if they were a group. They denied boarding to all over alleged misbehavior by a few passengers. Eventually a phone video emerged, with a Lufthansa supervisor saying to a Jewish passenger that those who were banned are 'Jewish from JFK.' The supervisor was recorded saying 'It's Jewish people who were the mess, who made the problems, everyone has to pay for a couple.' In October of 2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation fined Lufthansa $4 million for its treatment of the passengers, the largest fine the agency has issued against an airline for civil-rights violations. The department said most of the 128 passengers who were denied boarding 'wore distinctive garb typically worn by Orthodox Jewish men,' as did Liebb and Sebbag in the United case. In the aftermath of the incident on Flight 1601, Liebb and Sebbag reportedly believe that the United Airlines pilot deliberately shared misinformation with the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, and the Transportation Safety Administration. The men believe that the pilot's 'tip' led to them to be unlawfully detained and searched. Lufthansa reached a settlement with most of the affected passengers in 2022. Whether that will ultimately happen in the Flight 1601 case, where Liebb and Sebbag are seeking damages for emotional distress, and the costs of their legal fees, is unclear. But financial damages alone do not erase the lingering pain of discrimination and embarrassment at the loss of privacy. United needs to do a full and transparent investigation into what occurred, particularly if the actions of the pilot were as inappropriate as described. Global antisemitism has surged 340% in the last two years. It is dismaying that it appears to have spread to the 'friendly skies' as well. Stock image of mature man having nausea on a plane.
USA Today
25-03-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Travelers sue United Airlines, allege pilot forcibly removed passenger from bathroom
Travelers sue United Airlines, allege pilot forcibly removed passenger from bathroom Show Caption Hide Caption What to know about travel bans and who they could affect Immigration law allows presidents to restrict travel into the U.S., but President Donald Trump's bans have been more sweeping than past presidents. Two passengers on a United Airlines flight alleged in a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday that a pilot forcibly removed one of them from the plane's bathroom and made antisemitic remarks to them. Yisroel Liebb and Jacob Sebbag filed suit in New York against the airline, the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration. The pair allege the incident took place on a flight from Tulum, Mexico to Houston, Texas on Jan. 28 where Leibb was forced from the bathroom and both were detained by CBP. The lawsuit states that the plaintiffs experienced "significant unwarranted delay in their travel plans, physical injuries, great discomfort, extreme emotional distress, public embarrassment," and that Liebb "feels sexually violated and embarrassed after having been publicly exposed in the nude." DHS alleged in a statement to USA TODAY Monday that the airline requested the department to "step in" and that the passengers were in possession of ketamine. USA TODAY reached out to the lawyer listed for the plaintiffs in the filing Monday and did not receive an immediate response. USA TODAY reached out to United Airlines Sunday, who declined comment. What does the lawsuit allege? The plaintiffs state that shortly after the flight took off, Leibb went to the bathroom and experienced constipation. About 20 minutes after Leibb went into the bathroom, a flight attendant asked Sebbag to check on Leibb. Leibb told Sebbag the nature of the situation and the latter relayed it to the flight attendant, according to the lawsuit. Ten minutes after the check, the lawsuit alleges that a pilot yelled at Leibb while he was still in the bathroom, demanding that he leave immediately and that Sebbag force his traveling companion out of the lavatory. The pilot then broke the lock on the door and forced the door to the bathroom open, pulling Liebb out of the bathroom with his pants still around his ankles, the lawsuit alleges. As the pair were forced back to their seat, the lawsuit alleges that the pilot, "(made) threats of getting the Plaintiffs arrested and (made) scathing remarks about their Judaism, and how 'Jews act.'" Both men were wearing "traditional Jewish garb," according to the lawsuit. Once the plane landed, both travelers were handcuffed and taken from the plane by CBP officers. The lawsuit quotes one of the officers as saying, "this isn't county or state, we are homeland, you have no rights here," after Leibb demanded the justification for being detained. Both men are American citizens. The lawsuit states that the detainment caused the pair to miss a connecting flight to New York. The airline provided a flight the next day but the lawsuit states that the cost for food and lodging in Houston negated the value of the free flight. This story was updated to add new information.
CNN
24-03-2025
- CNN
A passenger says a United pilot forcibly removed him from an airplane bathroom. Now he is suing
An Orthodox Jewish passenger says a United Airlines pilot forcibly removed him from an airplane bathroom while he was experiencing constipation, exposing his genitalia to other flyers during a flight from Tulum, Mexico, to Houston. Yisroel Liebb, of New Jersey, described his trip through allegedly unfriendly skies in a federal lawsuit this week against the airline and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, whose officers he said boarded the plane upon landing and took him away in handcuffs. Liebb and a fellow Orthodox Jewish traveler said the pilot made disparaging remarks about their faith. They said they were forced to miss a connecting flight to New York City while U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers paraded them through an airport terminal, placed them in holding cells and searched their luggage. 'CBP Officers responded to reports of a disturbance on a flight at the request of the airline,' CBP Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs Hilton Beckham said. 'Due to the ongoing litigation, we are unable to provide any further comment.' United Airlines declined to comment. Messages seeking comment were left for a lawyer representing Liebb and the other traveler, Jacob Sebbag. In the lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Manhattan federal court, Liebb said he was in the bathroom in the back of the plane for about 20 minutes on Jan. 28 when a flight attendant woke Sebbag from a nap and asked Sebbag to check on him. Liebb said he explained his gastrointestinal predicament and assured Sebbag that he would be out soon. Sebbag then relayed that to the flight attendant, the lawsuit says. About 10 minutes later, with Liebb still indisposed, the pilot approached Sebbag and asked him to check on Liebb, the lawsuit says. The pilot then yelled at Liebb to leave the bathroom immediately, the lawsuit says. Liebb said he told the pilot that he was finishing up and would be out momentarily. The pilot responded by breaking the lock, forcing the bathroom door open and pulling Liebb out with his pants still around his ankles, exposing his genitalia to Sebbag, flight attendants, and nearby passengers, according to the lawsuit. Liebb and Sebbag said the pilot then pushed them back to their seats while threatening to have them arrested and making remarks about their faith and how 'Jews act.' After the two-hour flight landed in Houston, the men said about a half-dozen Customs and Border Protection officers boarded and escorted them off the plane. Liebb said when he asked why they were being detained, an officer tightened his handcuffs and responded: 'This isn't county or state. We are Homeland. You have no rights here.' The men said United booked them on a flight to New York City the next day for free, but any savings from the complementary tickets were lost because they had to pay for an overnight hotel stay and food during their delay.
CNN
24-03-2025
- CNN
A passenger says a United pilot forcibly removed him from an airplane bathroom. Now he is suing
An Orthodox Jewish passenger says a United Airlines pilot forcibly removed him from an airplane bathroom while he was experiencing constipation, exposing his genitalia to other flyers during a flight from Tulum, Mexico, to Houston. Yisroel Liebb, of New Jersey, described his trip through allegedly unfriendly skies in a federal lawsuit this week against the airline and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, whose officers he said boarded the plane upon landing and took him away in handcuffs. Liebb and a fellow Orthodox Jewish traveler said the pilot made disparaging remarks about their faith. They said they were forced to miss a connecting flight to New York City while U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers paraded them through an airport terminal, placed them in holding cells and searched their luggage. 'CBP Officers responded to reports of a disturbance on a flight at the request of the airline,' CBP Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs Hilton Beckham said. 'Due to the ongoing litigation, we are unable to provide any further comment.' United Airlines declined to comment. Messages seeking comment were left for a lawyer representing Liebb and the other traveler, Jacob Sebbag. In the lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Manhattan federal court, Liebb said he was in the bathroom in the back of the plane for about 20 minutes on Jan. 28 when a flight attendant woke Sebbag from a nap and asked Sebbag to check on him. Liebb said he explained his gastrointestinal predicament and assured Sebbag that he would be out soon. Sebbag then relayed that to the flight attendant, the lawsuit says. About 10 minutes later, with Liebb still indisposed, the pilot approached Sebbag and asked him to check on Liebb, the lawsuit says. The pilot then yelled at Liebb to leave the bathroom immediately, the lawsuit says. Liebb said he told the pilot that he was finishing up and would be out momentarily. The pilot responded by breaking the lock, forcing the bathroom door open and pulling Liebb out with his pants still around his ankles, exposing his genitalia to Sebbag, flight attendants, and nearby passengers, according to the lawsuit. Liebb and Sebbag said the pilot then pushed them back to their seats while threatening to have them arrested and making remarks about their faith and how 'Jews act.' After the two-hour flight landed in Houston, the men said about a half-dozen Customs and Border Protection officers boarded and escorted them off the plane. Liebb said when he asked why they were being detained, an officer tightened his handcuffs and responded: 'This isn't county or state. We are Homeland. You have no rights here.' The men said United booked them on a flight to New York City the next day for free, but any savings from the complementary tickets were lost because they had to pay for an overnight hotel stay and food during their delay.
