A woman flying first class on a red-eye from San Diego to Newark says she froze in horror when the man seated next to her began watching pornography and masturbating under a blanket, and that United Airlines later offered her travel credit instead of ensuring police met the man at the gate. She says she felt trapped in her window seat, unsure what to do as the flight continued around her.
The woman had booked first class specifically so she could recline and sleep through the overnight trip, according to the New York Post, which reported that she told San Diego's NBC 7. Instead, she says she saw the man beside her watching porn and making jerking motions beneath a blanket. “I didn't know what to do,” she said, describing herself as frozen and horrified.
She says she notified a flight attendant, but the crew member did not initially ask whether she was okay or wanted to move, according to her account. Only after texting friends for advice did she request a seat change, and the crew eventually moved her by swapping her with another passenger elsewhere in the cabin, the Post's reporting states.
No Confrontation at the Gate
By her account, the man was able to leave the plane without being confronted by police waiting at the gate. It wasn't until several days later, during a follow-up call with United customer service, that she says she was advised to contact the FBI herself. Airlines are not required to report passenger sexual misconduct to police or a federal agency, per the same reporting.
United Airlines told the outlet it takes the matter seriously and apologized to the customer, and said it has banned the other passenger involved pending its own investigation. According to a call recording shared with NBC 7, the airline offered the woman a choice of $1,000 in travel credit or 50,000 miles as an apology; she says she accepted the miles.
The case echoes one the Hoodline reported in September, in which a 25-year-old passenger said a man masturbated beside her on a United Express flight from Rochester to Newark, and crew made her return to that same seat for landing. In that case, the passenger filed complaints with both the FAA and FBI following the flight, and United ultimately gave her a $100 travel credit.
Where Federal Law Actually Draws the Line
Federal jurisdiction over crimes aboard commercial aircraft is not a gray area. Under 49 U.S.C. § 46501, that authority begins the moment cabin doors close before departure and lasts until they reopen at the destination, according to the FBI. Non-consensual sexual contact on a plane falls under Title 18 U.S.C. §§ 2241–2244, carrying federal penalties ranging from two years to life in prison upon conviction, per Evergreen Attorneys.
Separately, the FAA can levy its own civil fines under a Zero Tolerance policy updated in 2021, with penalties of up to $37,000 for violations involving crew, as reported by CBS News. The FAA referred 43 additional unruly passenger cases to the FBI for criminal review in the 12-month period ending in mid-2024 alone, pushing total federal referrals past 310 since late 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
A Pattern the FBI Says Is Underreported
The FBI investigated 104 cases of sexual assault aboard aircraft in 2024, up from 96 the year before, and federal agents caution the real number is likely higher because victims often feel embarrassed or trapped in an enclosed cabin. FBI aircraft liaison agents have also noted that offenders typically target passengers in middle or window seats on long-haul flights when cabins go dark, often sitting directly next to them, according to the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin.
The FBI advises passengers facing in-flight sexual misconduct to report it to flight crew and provides FBI contact information. The FBI separately advises passengers who feel uncomfortable to move away from their seats and tell crew they feel unsafe and need another seat, and recommends women traveling alone choose an aisle seat when possible.
