FORT WORTH- An Oregon woman has filed a negligence lawsuit after alleging in-flight sexual assault by an intoxicated passenger aboard an American Airlines (AA) flight. The incident occurred during a trip from Missouri to Portland and involved claims of inadequate pre-boarding screening and delayed crew response.
The lawsuit relates to a December 10, 2024, flight that later landed at Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), disrupting the woman’s planned travel to Portland International Airport (PDX) and prompting police intervention.
American Airlines Sexual Assault Lawsuit
According to the filing, the plaintiff encountered the accused passenger at a small airport bar in Missouri while waiting for her flight. She alleges the man consumed multiple beers and several shots of liquor before boarding.
During this time, he reportedly directed unsolicited comments toward her, calling her “sexy” and “beautiful.”
The plaintiff states that the attention made her uncomfortable, leading her to leave the bar area. She later claims she saw the same man stumbling out of the bar and heading toward the departure gate where she was seated.
The lawsuit alleges that airline staff allowed the man to board the aircraft despite visible signs of intoxication, including the smell of alcohol. Once on board, he reportedly sat next to the plaintiff and said, “This is my lucky day.”
Court documents state that shortly after boarding, the man began bumping and rubbing against the plaintiff and invading her personal space. As the aircraft started its takeoff, the behavior allegedly escalated into sexual groping.
The plaintiff claims she attempted to push his hands away and repeatedly told him to stop, but the assault continued.
She recalls informing a flight attendant that she needed to change seats immediately. When told she could not move during takeoff, she responded with urgency, stating, “This man is completely on top of me, and I need to move now.”
A flight attendant later relocated the plaintiff to another seat after takeoff.
Crew Observations and Witness Accounts
The lawsuit states that the flight captain reported the alleged assault while the aircraft was in the air.
Upon landing at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas police officers boarded the plane and detained the accused passenger.
The plaintiff was permitted to exit the aircraft first in order to provide her statement to law enforcement. The accused, identified by police and in court records as Justin Eldon Knotts, 40, also gave a statement.
A flight attendant told police she witnessed Knotts groping the plaintiff. The same attendant further reported that Knotts also groped her while she was serving beverages.
According to the filing, the attendant stated that his hand brushed up against her thigh, grabbed her wrist, and smacked her on the buttocks, causing pain.
Police Action and Travel Disruption
Dallas police informed the plaintiff that they were seeking a warrant for Knotts’ arrest on a misdemeanor assault charge. As of the time referenced in the lawsuit, no formal charges had been filed.
Due to the incident, the plaintiff missed her connecting flight to Portland and was required to stay overnight in Dallas. She returned home the following day.
American Airlines, SkyWest, and Knotts are named as defendants in the lawsuit. According to the Independent, American Airlines stated that the safety of its customers and employees is its highest priority and that it is reviewing the complaint.
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