Honk News (Seattle, WA) – A woman on a flight from Seattle to Honolulu was sexually attacked by a fellow passenger who became more drunk during the horror flight, according to a new lawsuit filed against Alaska Airlines and the alleged harasser.
According to a press statement from attorney Mark Lindquist, who filed the complaint, the woman was on a flight to Hawaii with her reading club on May 14, 2023, and sat across the aisle from a male passenger whom she deemed “sober” at the start of the trip.
The victim claims that Alaska Airlines staff overserved the passenger with red wine, and she watched him become increasingly inebriated throughout the flight. At one point, the woman claims that the drunk passenger grabbed her hand and attempted to kiss her.
After falling asleep for a while, the alcoholic customer awoke, and according to the lawsuit, Alaska Airlines staff brought him drinks once more.
The victim claims she had a headache and wanted to avoid the inebriated passenger, so she closed her eyes with an ice bag and tried to fall asleep. The drunken man allegedly lunged across the aisle and grabbed the victim’s right breast, groping her, according to the lawsuit.
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The lawsuit claims carelessness, assault, and battery against the drunk passenger, as well as negligence on Alaska Airlines for allegedly overserving the passenger and failing to safeguard the victim.
“Alcohol is not an excuse,” Lindquist said in a press release announcing the lawsuit. “Alcohol is not a defense to sexual assault. Still, alcohol seems to be involved in every one of these cases I’ve seen. Airlines need to be more cautious about overserving.”
After returning home, the victim reportedly phoned the US Attorney’s Office in Hawaii several times to see if her alleged attacker had been charged. She was reportedly told that he had been ordered to pay a fine, which she believed was insufficient.
“With this lawsuit, our client wants accountability and justice,” Lindquist stated in a statement. “She doesn’t want drunken sexual assaults happening to others.”