FORT WORTH- American Airlines (AA) is facing a lawsuit from attorney David Cruz, who alleges that crew members failed to properly assist him after another passenger allegedly assaulted him during a flight.
The dispute involves American Airlines Flight AA 2290 from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in September 2025. Cruz alleges that the crew later focused on his non-revenue travel status instead of the reported assault.
American Airlines Accused of Mishandling Passenger Assault
David Cruz, an attorney, filed a lawsuit against American Airlines, Inc. in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on August 10, 2026. The case is listed as Cruz v. American Airlines, Inc., case number 1:2026cv25393. A summons was issued to American Airlines on August 11, 2026.
The lawsuit concerns an incident that allegedly occurred in September 2025 while Cruz was traveling from Miami to Los Angeles on American Airlines Flight AA 2290. The flight departed Miami International Airport at about 8:15 PM.
Cruz was traveling on a deeply discounted non-revenue standby ticket, commonly known as a buddy pass. According to the original account, the travel benefit was available to him because his mother works for American Airlines as a quality control inspector.
Cruz says he initially had an available seat in 17B with the adjoining seat, 17A, empty.
According to the complaint, another passenger was later moved into 17A after allegedly becoming involved in an altercation elsewhere on the aircraft.
Cruz alleges that American Airlines should have recognized the passenger as a potential continuing safety risk because crew members allegedly knew, or should have known, that the passenger was intoxicated and had already been involved in a confrontation.
The complaint argues that the airline could have taken several other steps, including separating the passenger from other travelers, restraining or securing him, notifying the flight deck, preparing an incident report or requesting law enforcement to meet the aircraft.
Instead, Cruz alleges that the passenger was moved directly beside him.
Cruz Allegedly Elbowed 3 Times
According to the lawsuit, the passenger in 17A elbowed Cruz in the ribs on 3 separate occasions.
Cruz also alleges that the passenger threw a bottle of wine at him. The wine allegedly saturated Cruz’s clothing and documents. The passenger also allegedly knocked over a drink Cruz had purchased on the flight before he had an opportunity to take a sip.
Cruz says he repeatedly asked flight attendants for assistance after the passenger’s conduct but that no crew member intervened or warned the passenger.
The complaint does not establish that these allegations occurred. They are claims made by Cruz in his lawsuit.
Flight Attendant Questioned Cruz About His D2 Status
The dispute allegedly changed direction after the aircraft landed. Cruz alleges that a flight attendant confronted him after noticing that he was traveling as a non-revenue passenger with D2 boarding priority.
According to the complaint, the attendant repeatedly questioned Cruz about where he worked and challenged his explanation that he was an attorney.
The complaint quotes the flight attendant as allegedly saying:
“Oh yeah! You are an attorney, but you fly D2? Hahaha, you are lying, just tell the truth, where do you work, you work for American, you work for American! You are a D2!”
Cruz alleges that the questioning continued and became focused on his flight benefits.
The complaint also quotes the attendant as allegedly telling Cruz:
“TELL ME THE TRUTH! WHERE DO YOU WORK? YOU ARE A D2, DON’T LIE, YOU ARE LYING TO ME! YOU WORK IN MIAMI, RIGHT? WHERE DO YOU WORK?”
According to the lawsuit, the attendant then warned Cruz that he could lose his travel benefits if he caused problems because he was a non-revenue passenger.
Cruz alleges that the exchange continued at length before he was eventually allowed to leave the aircraft.
Non-Revenue Travel Rules
Non-revenue travel is governed by specific airline policies, and travelers using employee-related benefits are generally expected to follow employee travel procedures and conduct standards.
The original account also points to informal expectations among non-revenue travelers. These include accepting inconveniences such as broken seats, unavailable meals or requests to move seats without creating conflict.
Cruz’s allegations place those expectations at the center of the dispute because he says that seeking help after the passenger’s alleged conduct resulted in greater scrutiny of his own behavior and travel status.
The precise circumstances remain disputed, and the lawsuit is the plaintiff’s account of what happened.
Reported Cruz for Passenger Misconduct
Cruz says the confrontation did not end at the airport.
According to the complaint, American Airlines’ corporate security department contacted him several days later and accused him of passenger misconduct.
The airline then opened an internal investigation into the incident. Cruz alleges that the investigation resulted in another accusation: that he had been intoxicated during the flight.
Cruz denies that allegation.
He says he had not consumed alcohol before boarding the aircraft and did not drink the beverage he had purchased during the flight because the drink was allegedly knocked over before he could take a sip.
The complaint further alleges that American Airlines questioned Cruz’s mother about the accusations.
Cruz Sues Over Negligence, Defamation and Distress
Cruz is suing American Airlines for negligence, defamation and infliction of emotional distress.
The negligence allegations focus on the airline’s handling of the passenger who was allegedly intoxicated and disruptive. Cruz argues that the carrier failed to take reasonable steps to protect him after the passenger was moved into the adjacent seat.
The defamation allegations relate to statements Cruz says were made about his conduct and alleged intoxication.
The emotional-distress claim concerns the alleged treatment Cruz received from the flight crew and the subsequent internal investigation.
American Airlines had not filed a substantive response at the time of the latest publicly available docket information. The federal docket confirms that the complaint was filed on August 10, 2026 and that a summons was issued to the airline on August 11.
FBI Reportedly Investigating Other Passenger
The incident has also reportedly drawn the attention of federal investigators.
According to the original account, the FBI has opened an investigation into the behavior of the passenger who Cruz says assaulted him. Investigators have reportedly reviewed material related to the incident while the inquiry remains pending.
The passenger accused by Cruz has not been identified or detained, according to the available account.
The federal investigation is separate from Cruz’s civil lawsuit against American Airlines. The existence of an investigation does not by itself establish that the alleged assault occurred or determine who may be legally responsible.
Non-Rev Travel Privileges
The case could have consequences for Cruz’s access to non-revenue travel benefits.
The original account notes that filing a lawsuit against the airline could potentially result in the loss of non-revenue travel privileges. That outcome is not established in the available case record and should not be treated as a confirmed action by American Airlines.
The central issue remains whether the airline and its crew appropriately responded to the other passenger’s alleged behavior and whether Cruz was later treated improperly because he was traveling on a buddy pass.
PYOK reported on the incident and the allegations surrounding the flight.
What Happens Next
The lawsuit is now pending in federal court, with American Airlines named as the defendant. The docket currently confirms the filing and service of the summons but does not establish the truth of Cruz’s allegations.
Future filings are expected to provide American Airlines’ response to the claims and may offer more information about the airline’s handling of the incident.
For now, the available record contains Cruz’s allegations, the federal case filing and the reported FBI investigation. The account of the onboard events remains disputed and has not been resolved in court.
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