American Airlines Passenger Hires United Victim’s Lawyer

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Summary: The American Airlines passenger seen in a recent viral video has hired the lawyer who represents Dr. David Dao, the doctor who was dragged off a United Airlines flight. 

An American Airlines flight attendant and a mother of two were caught on camera fighting aboard the aircraft. In the video that went viral, the crying woman begged the flight attendant to give her stroller back, and an angry male passenger nearby shouted that the flight attendant had nearly hit the woman and her baby. The angry male also threatened to “knock” the flight attendant flat.

  

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Although American Airlines promptly suspended the flight attendant and upgraded the woman to first class on the next leg of her trip, the woman has lawyered up, hiring the same attorney who is representing Dr. David Dao, the victim that appeared on another viral airplane video from earlier this month.

After the American Airlines video went viral, the unidentified woman hired Chicago attorney Thomas Demetrio, who spoke to NBC and clarified that the American Airlines attendant did not strike the woman or her baby. However, he said that what happened to her was a “microcosm of the entire problem.”

“We’ve got a flight attendant out of control, we’ve got a distressed mother,” Demetrio said. “This is a real, real problem and the mother told me point blank her concern was her child, who almost got hit by the stroller.”

The video was shot last Friday aboard Flight 591 from San Francisco to Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. In it, the mother says, “You can’t use violence with a baby. Just please give me my stroller back.”

While the woman and flight attendant’s emotions are clearly elevated, it is noted that strollers are not allowed on American Airlines, and company policy states that all passengers must check in their strollers at the gate. However, the issue may be how the flight attendant took away the stroller. One witness said on Facebook that he had used force, and the angry male in the video seemed to confirm the flight attendant’s excess.

This incident was only the latest in a recent string of reports of mistreatment of passengers by airlines, particularly United. Earlier this month, United Airlines’ stock plummetted after a video spread of Dr. David Dao being forcibly removed from his seat because the airline had overbooked the flight. In the video, Dao suffered noticeably head injuries, and another video caught him whispering to himself that he wished he were dead. Dao hired Demetrio, who told the press that a lawsuit was coming soon.

In addition to Dao’s story, another man claimed he was stung by a scorpion on a United flight, and a couple said they were kicked off their United airplane, almost missing their wedding.

The videos and reports of these incidents sparked massive outrage, and federal investigators said that they are looking into United’s practices.

After Dao’s incident, United appeared to blame Dao for the violence inflicted against him, but American Airlines took a more professional and caring approach.

Leslie Scott, a spokeswoman for American Airlines, told Reuters that the company has been in contact with the woman all weekend, and Scott said that the airline has apologized and is investigating the incident.

• Related: United Airlines Passenger Hires Chicago Lawyer 
• Related: Honest Commercial for United Airlines 

What do you think of the way American Airlines handled the stroller incident? Let us know in the comments below.