An American Airlines flight attendant has been detained after alleged attempts to illicitly film a young female passenger in the airplane’s lavatory. Described as a “potential criminal act”, the unfortunate event involves a minor, a cellular phone, and the in-flight service professional.
The incident reportedly took place on a Saturday morning flight bound from Charlotte to Boston. An eyewitness passenger on this flight mentioned that he observed a male flight attendant halt a teenage girl en route to the first class lavatory. The flight attendant requested the teenager hold off momentarily, expressing his intention to clean his hands prior to handling the garbage. The attendant then entered the restroom before the girl did.
The passenger noted that after the female passenger had exited the restroom, the flight attendant reentered the premises. This led to her mother dashing forward to prevent others from using the facilities out of concern for an installed camera device.
American Airlines addresses this disturbing incident with utmost urgency, assuring full cooperation with law enforcement’s investigations. An airline spokesperson expressed concern, stating that “safety and security are our highest priorities.”
Upon landing, law enforcement embarked on the aircraft to investigate further. Though crimes conducted during a flight fall within the federal jurisdiction, thus the ongoing investigation is under the direction of federal authorities. The Massachusetts State Police have relinquished all comments on the matter to federal agencies. At present, the FBI in Boston has yet to respond to queries for comments.
This incident adds to a growing concern about the safety of passengers in flight. In a recent case in July, a family from New York has pressed charges against Delta Air Lines. The family alleges that during a nine-hour flight from New York to Athens, Greece, last summer, a man inappropriately touched both a mother and her 16-year-old daughter.
