Passenger alleges man masturbated beside her on flight, crew ignored her concerns

A United Airlines passenger has alleged that a man sitting beside her masturbated while looking at her during a flight, while cabin crew ignored her concerns and later made her return to the seat next to him.

The 25-year-old passenger, a paediatric crisis therapist, claimed that the man began touching himself while staring at her during the 6 am flight from Rochester, New York, to Newark, New Jersey on September 3, NBC News reports.

The woman moved away from her seat and reported the alleged behaviour to the crew, who allowed her to stand elsewhere in the cabin for part of the journey. However, she was later asked to return to her original seat because there were no other available seats.

“On multiple instances, I said I feel uncomfortable doing that,” she told NBC News, recalling her repeated objections to sitting beside the man again. She claimed that a flight attendant told her she would only be next to him for a few more minutes while the aircraft landed.

The passenger also alleged that United did not alert authorities after the plane landed in Newark. An airport agent apparently responded to her complaint by asking, “What am I supposed to do about it?” and told her that contacting law enforcement was her responsibility.

She later reported the alleged incident to United Airlines, the Federal Aviation Administration and the FBI.

United Airlines is investigating the allegation. In a statement cited by the New York Post, a spokesperson said, “The safety of our customers and colleagues is our top priority. We take these matters seriously and are looking into what happened.”

The airline added that it had been in contact with the passenger and apologised for her experience.- EndsPublished By: Raya GhoshPublished On: Sep 24, 2026 11:10 IST