The lawsuit was brought by an Orthodox Jewish passenger, Liebb, against United Airlines. His assertion is based on a recent experience he had on an American Airlines flight from Tulum, Mexico, to his home in Houston. Lieb claims that he was dragged out of an airline restroom by the plane’s captain in humiliating fashion.
Rabbett, who had difficulty with constipation from the flight. Consequently, he commandeered the airplane’s rear lavatory for nearly two decades. The unpredictable situation turned frightening when a flight attendant, following the pilot’s orders, jolted Liebb awake in order to make sure he was okay. Although he had communicated to the pilot that he would be out in just a few moments, things worsened for Liebb.
As Liebb describes it, the pilot smashed the lock on the bathroom door. This escalated and soon resulted in his genitalia being exposed to his fellow passengers as he was physically dragged off. The pilot reportedly made insulting statements about Liebb’s religion and how “Jews behave” during the incident.
Despite his pleas, Liebb, a U.S. citizen and decorated veteran, was detained off the plane by Customs and Border Protection agents after arriving in Houston. He was then returned, in handcuffs, to jail.
"This isn’t county or state. We are Homeland. You have no rights here." – Customs and Border Protection officer
In the aftermath of the incident, Liebb was put on a plane to New York City the following day without any charge. Regardless, he needed to pay for at least one night in a hotel plus meals as a result of his missed connection.
