Passenger claims United airline pilot physically ejected him from aircraft lavatory, filing lawsuit in response.
Rewritten Article:
Houston, TX - United Airlines and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are at the center of a federal lawsuit following an incident involving an Orthodox Jewish passenger, Yisroel Liebb, from New Jersey. According to Liebb's lawsuit, he was forcibly removed from an airplane bathroom during a flight from Tulum, Mexico, to Houston, resulting in a traumatic and humiliating ordeal.
In the lawsuit, filed this week in Manhattan federal court, Liebb claims that he was dealing with constipation in the airplane bathroom for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, his fellow Orthodox Jewish traveler, Jacob Sebbag, was asked by a flight attendant to check on Liebb. Confirming Liebb's condition, Sebbag assured the attendant that Liebb would be out shortly. However, the situation escalated when the pilot insisted that Liebb immediately vacate the bathroom.
Allegedly, the pilot broke the bathroom lock, pulled Liebb out, and exposed his genitalia to Sebbag, flight attendants, and nearby passengers. Sebbag and Liebb further accuse the pilot of making derogatory remarks about their faith and threatening to have them arrested.
Upon landing in Houston, about a half-dozen U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers boarded the plane and took the two passengers into custody. They were placed in holding cells, subjected to searches, and missed their connecting flight to New York City.
United Airlines, CBP, and the lawyer representing Liebb and Sebbag declined to comment. The lawsuit alleges breaches of the Montreal Convention, which protects passengers from harm during international air travel, and claims physical harm, unlawful detention, and religious discrimination. The plaintiffs are seeking financial compensation for injuries, emotional distress, and economic losses.
This incident has sparked concerns about passenger rights and potential discrimination based on religious beliefs. It serves as a reminder of the need for airline staff and security personnel to handle such sensitive situations with care and respect for all passengers.
- In the incident involving Yisroel Liebb, an Orthodox Jewish passenger from New Jersey, it was alleged that he was detained by unfriendly airlines personnel and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers after a traumatic experience on a United Airlines flight from Tulum, Mexico, to Houston, where he was allegedly forcibly removed from the airplane bathroom and verbally abused due to his faith.
- During the lawsuit filed by Liebb and Jacob Sebbag, another Orthodox Jewish traveler, it was claimed that their religious rights were violated, as they were subjected to unlawful detention, humiliating searches, and missed their connecting flight to New York City, all following an incident involving constipation in the airplane bathroom.
- The Montreal Convention, which aims to protect passengers from harm during international air travel, is now at the center of the controversy, as the plaintiffs are seeking financial compensation for the physical harm, emotional distress, and economic losses they suffered due to the unfriendly and discriminatory treatment they received from airline staff and security personnel.
