‘What Am I Supposed To Do About It?’: Woman Says Airline Shrugged Off Man Masturbating Next To Her

A woman claims she was “trapped” next to a man who masturbated while staring at her during a United Airlines flight — and that after she reported him to the crew, he was allowed to simply walk off the plane.

The 25-year-old woman told NBC News that she was seated next to the man on a September 3 flight from Rochester, New York, to Newark Liberty International Airport when she noticed him pleasuring himself.

She described the man as “pretty normal looking” and “unassuming,” estimating that he was between 35 and 40 years old. “I just got the sense [he] had done it before,” she told NBC. “People don’t just do those things at 6 a.m.”

The woman said she immediately alerted United flight attendants, who allowed her to leave her seat and stand in the aisle for about an hour. But because the flight was full, she said she was ultimately told she had to return to her seat next to the man for landing. She said she told them “on multiple instances” she was “uncomfortable doing that.”

According to the woman, flight attendants told her she would only have to sit next to the man for about five minutes while the plane landed. It turned out to be considerably longer. The passengers were seated near the back of the plane, meaning she had to remain beside the man while other passengers deplaned. Once they could leave, the woman said the man simply walked off the plane without facing any consequences.

She later approached a United gate agent to report what had happened. According to the woman, the employee responded, “What am I supposed to do about it?” She subsequently filed complaints with United and the Federal Aviation Administration and contacted the FBI. The woman said United later offered her a $100 flight credit, even though the trip cost about $400.

She also criticized the language a United representative used in an email responding to her complaint.

“I can imagine how upsetting and uncomfortable it must have been to experience behavior from another passenger that caused you concern,” the representative wrote, according to emails reviewed by NBC.

The woman objected to the characterization. “I DID remove myself and ask for help,” she responded. “Additionally, framing public masturbation as ‘behavior that caused me concern’ implies that what occurred could somehow be perceived as acceptable.”

United is now investigating the report.

“We are looking into this report but don’t have anything additional to share at this time,” a United spokesperson told People.

The airline has not said whether it notified law enforcement or took any action against the man.

“It is the first time I’ve been purposely trapped by people who were supposed to be helping me,” the woman told NBC.

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