The airline seat wars are back.
A recent American Airlines passenger is saying that she was “assaulted” by a male passenger when she reclined her seat.
According to a report on Fox News, Wendi Williams, who was flying on an American Eagle flight from New Orleans to Charlotte, North Carolina, claims that a man seated behind her continued to punch the top of her seat when she reclined. She also says that employees and the carrier failed to act to prevent the man from continuing to hit her seat.
Williams shared her story, as well as video footage, on Twitter.
@America34365159 After much consideration, and exhausting every opportunity for #AmericanAirlines to do the right thing, I’ve decided to share my assault, from the passenger behind me, and the further threats, from an American Airline flight attendant-gave him a complimentary rum
— wendi (@steelersfanOG) February 8, 2020
Williams, who said she was traveling back from a teachers’ convention, said that the man asked her to put her seat up so that he could eat, which she says that she did. Then she reclined again when he was finished. It was at that time he started “hammering away” at her.
Williams told the flight attendant who sympathized with the man, seated in the back row of the aircraft, saying that it was “tight back there” and gave him a complimentary cocktail.
Williams then says that she was scolded for recording the incident and received a passenger disturbance notice.
“It was scary and very painful” Williams said, she also says that she lost time at work, had to visit a doctor, receive X-rays and has suffered headaches because of the incident.
“I was contacted via phone by American [Airlines], they apologized but really didn’t accept any responsibility for the flight attendant’s actions,” she charged. “I will be calling the FBI to press charges against the ‘man’ who mistook me for a punching bag. Anyone who doesn’t like it, I don’t care!”
Not everyone on Twitter sympathized with Williams’ plight. In fact, many were skeptical of her version of events and said it was unfair that she would recline her seat against the man’s wishes—among other things.
Watch the video and judge for yourself.
A little concerned that @AmericanAir didn’t feel this was a problem.
Not sure about the rest of you, but I would surely consider someone continually tapping on the back of my seat to be a nuisance. https://t.co/DmRKUpA36O pic.twitter.com/Xts7hfQAcw
— Amica Ali (@AmicaAli) February 8, 2020
