American Airlines sued by female traveler for allowing drunk passenger to board before he ‘groped her and harassed flight attendants’

A female traveler has filed a negligence lawsuit against American Airlines, alleging the carrier’s decision to allow an ‘obviously intoxicated’ man to board her flight led to her being groped in her seat.

The Oregon woman claims the man sexually assaulted her on the flight and harassed flight attendants on board.

The civil suit, filed by a 47-year-old woman from West Linn, stems from a December 10, 2024 flight departing Missouri and bound for Dallas–Fort Worth.

According to the complaint, the woman encountered Justin Eldon Knotts, 40, hours before takeoff inside a small airport bar, where she says she watched him consume multiple beers and shots of liquor as the flight was delayed.

As his drinking continued, the lawsuit claims, the man directed unwanted comments at her, calling her ‘sexy’ and ‘beautiful.’ The behavior made her uncomfortable enough to pay her tab and leave the bar early.

The woman says she later saw the same man ‘stumbling out’ of the restaurant and heading toward the gate for her flight.

Despite what she describes as visible intoxication and a strong odor of alcohol, American Airlines employees permitted him to board the aircraft and take the window seat next to her.

‘This is my lucky day,’ the man allegedly remarked as he sat down beside her, according to the lawsuit.

A female traveler from Oregon has filed a negligence lawsuit against American Airlines , alleging the carrier allowed an ‘obviously intoxicated’ man, Justin Eldon Knotts, 40, to board her flight

The woman alleges what followed was a terrifying escalation that unfolded while the plane was still on the ground and continued into takeoff.

The complaint says the man began ‘bumping and rubbing’ against her, crowding her space before allegedly touching her inappropriately as the plane lined up on the tarmac.

When she pushed his hand away, the lawsuit claims he continued to grope her as the aircraft accelerated down the runway.

The panicked woman shouted for help and demanded to be moved.

According to the suit, a flight attendant initially told her she could not change seats during takeoff.

The woman then called out saying words to the effect of, ‘This man is completely on top of me, and I need to move now!’

A flight attendant eventually came to the row and relocated the woman roughly 10 rows away.

The captain later reported the incident, and Dallas police officers were waiting at the gate when the plane landed at Dallas–Fort Worth Airport, the lawsuit states.

The captain reported the incident, and Dallas police officers were waiting at the gate when the plane landed at Dallas–Fort Worth Airport, the lawsuit states.

After landing, the woman was allowed to exit the plane first and give a statement to police.

The man accused of assaulting her also provided a statement, according to her attorney, Mark Lindquist. He is named as a defendant alongside American Airlines.

Lindquist said a warrant was issued out of Dallas on a misdemeanor assault charge, though Knotts has not been formally charged a year after the alleged incident.

A police report described Knotts as appearing ‘unsteady on his feet,’ struggling to maintain balance, and emitting ‘a strong odor of alcoholic beverages.’

According to the report, Knotts initially denied drinking and denied assaulting the woman but later admitted he had consumed alcohol after taking prescription drugs.

The lawsuit further alleges that the man’s behavior extended beyond the passenger.

One flight attendant told police she witnessed Knotts grope the woman and said he also touched her inappropriately while she was serving beverages.

The attendant reported that his hand ‘brush[ed] up against her thigh,’ that he grabbed her wrist, and that he smacked her on the buttocks, ‘inflicting pain,’ according to the suit.

The alleged assault left the Oregon woman unable to continue her journey as planned. She missed her connecting flight and was forced to remain in Dallas overnight before returning home the following day.

American Airlines acknowledged the lawsuit in a brief statement.

‘The safety of our customers and team members is our highest priority,’ an airline spokesperson said. ‘We are reviewing the complaint.’

Court and criminal records show Knotts has a history of violent and alcohol-related offenses in Missouri, including convictions for domestic assault in 2021, assault in 2019, disorderly conduct in 2016, driving without a license in 2013, and driving under the influence as a ‘persistent offender’ in 2012.

Records also show an earlier conviction in 2003 for driving with an excessive blood-alcohol level reports the Brainer Dispatch.

In a separate 2019 case in Minnesota, Knotts was charged with felony stalking and domestic assault by strangulation after a woman reported being beaten and choked during a hotel altercation so severe she feared for her life.

Witnesses in that case told police they saw him strike the woman, pin her against a building, and place his hands near her neck as she tried to escape.