United Airlines is looking into a report that a passenger allegedly was forced to remain seated next to a passenger who appeared to be masturbating on a flight earlier this month.
The 25-year-old woman, who was not identified, told NBC that the incident occurred on a flight from Rochester, New York, to Newark, New Jersey, around 6 a.m. ET on September 3.
"I just got the sense [he] had done it before...People don’t just do those things at 6 a.m.," the woman told the news outlet. She was allowed to stand in the aisle for about an hour but was asked to return to her seat for landing since there were no other available seats on the plane.
"It is the first time I’ve been purposely trapped by people who were supposed to be helping me," the woman told NBC.
The woman said her concerns were essentially dismissed by the airline, with a gate agent allegedly telling her afterward, "What am I supposed to do about it?"
She said the man was allowed to walk off the plane without consequences.
According to an email exchange with the airline, a United representative said: "I can imagine how upsetting and uncomfortable it must have been to experience behavior from another passenger that caused you concern, particularly while seated in a location where you felt concerned."
The airline gave her a $100 flight credit despite the trip costing $400.
She eventually filed complaints with not only United but the Federal Aviation Administration and informed the FBI as well.
The airline is now investigating the matter after the report made headlines this week.
"We are looking into this report but don’t have anything additional to share at this time," a United Airlines spokesperson said in a statement.
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