A woman is threatening to sue American Airlines for its response when a fellow passenger repeatedly punched her seatback.
Wendi Williams tweeted a video of a man seated behind her on a flight repeatedly punching the back of her seat because she had reclined it, sparking a fierce debate on the internet over if it is ok to recline your seat in economy class.
The video was filmed on a 31 January flight from New Orleans to Charlotte with an American Eagle flight operated by Republic Airways. American Eagle is a subsidiary of American Airlines.
“He was angry I reclined my seat and punched it about nine times – HARD, at which point I began videoing him, and he resigned to this behaviour. The other jackhole is @AmericanAir flight attendant who reprimanded me and offered him rum!” Williams tweeted.
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American Airlines confirmed to Travel Weekly in a statement that it was aware of a “customer dispute that transpired on American Eagle flight 4392.
“The safety and comfort of our customers and team members is our top priority, and our team is looking into the issue,” the airline said.
Williams said she initially accommodated the man’s request and put her seat upright while he was eating, but reclined again once he was finished.
In another Tweet, Williams said when she called a flight attendant over, she was handed a passenger disturbance notice.
“She rolled her eyes at me and said “What?” She then told him it was tight back there and gave him rum! She told me I had to delete the video! It’s against the law to video on a plane. I asked her name and she gave me a Passenger Disturbance Notice!”
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Williams told TMZ she has since met with an attorney to discuss legal options she can take against American Airlines and is threatening to file a defamation lawsuit after a flight attendant told the outlet she had knocked over the man’s drink.
TMZ also reported Williams is worried the repeated whiplash from the seat punches may have damaged her vertebrae and wants American Airlines to pay for possible medical bills.
Featured image credit: iStock.com/JodiJacobson
