$100 Credit for Enduring Lewd Act? Woman Reports Man Pleasuring Himself, Claims United Made Her Sit Beside Him Anyway

United Airlines is investigating a complaint from a 25-year-old paediatric crisis therapist who says she was made to sit beside a male passenger she had reported for allegedly masturbating during a United Express flight from Rochester, New York, to Newark, New Jersey, on 3 September 2026.

The woman has also filed complaints with the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to the woman's account, she alerted cabin crew on Flight 3626 after seeing the man beside her allegedly pleasuring himself during the early morning service.

She said crew members allowed her to stand in the aisle for about an hour. She was later told to return to her assigned seat as the aircraft prepared for landing because there were no other seats available.

Ordered Back To Seat for Landing

The woman said crew members initially told her she would only have to remain in the seat for three to five minutes. She said she was then required to sit beside the passenger during the descent, landing and taxiing. Because her seat was near the back of the aircraft, she said she remained there until passengers were allowed to leave.

The woman said she had reported the passenger to the cabin crew before being moved back to the seat. After the aircraft arrived in Newark, the male passenger was allowed to leave without, according to the woman's account, being questioned or detained by police.

The woman said she approached a United gate agent about the incident. She alleges the employee asked her, 'What am I supposed to do about it?' and told her it was her responsibility to contact the police.

She said another United employee later told her that standard procedures had not been followed. United has confirmed that it is investigating the complaint. The airline has not publicly provided details of its findings.

Airline Offers $100 Credit

United offered the woman a $100 flight credit. She said she had paid about $400 for the ticket. In a later email, a United representative said the company could understand how upsetting and uncomfortable it must have been to experience behaviour from another passenger that caused her concern.

The woman criticised that wording, saying it did not accurately reflect the conduct she had reported. She also said she had left her seat and sought assistance from the cabin crew after noticing the alleged behaviour.

Certain offences committed aboard US commercial aircraft fall under federal jurisdiction. The FBI advises passengers to report incidents to cabin crew during a flight so law enforcement can potentially meet the aircraft after landing and speak with witnesses.

Under 49 U.S.C. § 46506(2), certain indecent or obscene acts committed aboard aircraft can be prosecuted under federal law. The statute provides for a maximum jail sentence of 90 days and a federal fine of up to $5,000. The woman's complaint to the FBI does not establish that a crime occurred or that the passenger will face charges.

Airlines Faced Similar Complaints Before

The complaint follows other reports involving alleged sexual behaviour by passengers aboard US flights. In 2018, a United passenger was reportedly offered a $75 credit after saying a male seatmate had exposed himself on a flight to Chicago O'Hare. Police later said the airline had not contacted them.

American Airlines also offered a passenger 5,000 bonus miles after she reported that a man had allegedly been fondling himself on a flight from Orlando to Dallas. The man was reportedly allowed to leave without being questioned by police.

A separate lawsuit accuses American Airlines of failing to properly respond after a first-class passenger reported a man masturbating nearby.

In another case, a 2020 lawsuit accused United of failing to address repeated complaints of sexual harassment. Affected passengers were reportedly given $150 vouchers. There have also been incidents in which airline staff contacted authorities.

In one case involving American Airlines, a female passenger was arrested after allegedly stripping and carrying out indecent acts during a flight. She was arrested after the aircraft landed in Miami.

The FBI said it opened 104 investigations into sexual assaults aboard aircraft in 2024. The agency has also said many in-flight offences go unreported.