Lawsuit claims drunk passenger assaulted woman on American Airlines flight to Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. — A passenger is suing American Airlines after she says she was sexually assaulted by an intoxicated man who was allowed to board a flight from Missouri to Portland.

The lawsuit , filed in federal court in Oregon, alleges negligence by American Airlines, SkyWest — which operated the flight — and the male passenger.

According to the complaint, the incident occurred on Dec. 11, 2024, as the Portland woman was returning home from a business trip to Missouri. Her flight home was delayed, and passengers waited near a small bar and restaurant at the airport. During the delay, the male passenger was seen repeatedly ordering beers and shots, the lawsuit states.

"Despite being drunk and smelling of alcohol, the airline’s gate agents allowed (the male passenger) to board the plane