An individual from Detroit has claimed that she was a victim of a sexual assault attempt while asleep on a flight with Spirit Airlines.
Tia Jackson, a 22-year-old student, asserts that she was in the middle seat next to her friend who occupied the window seat, with the alleged perpetrator in the aisle seat while they were on a flight from Atlanta to Detroit.
While on the flight, Tia fell asleep with her AirPods in, leaning on her friend with her back turned toward the man.
She described feeling someone touching her just before the plane was due to land but initially brushed it off as an accidental bump. However, when she tried to sleep again, she realized the man had his hand inside the back of her pants.
Feeling violated, she immediately raised the attention of the flight attendant and confronted the man about his behavior.
Although she reported the incident to the flight attendant, she felt dissatisfied with their response as they only offered to change her seat, which she refused, feeling like she was being punished for the man’s actions and not wanting to leave her friend.
Upon landing, she spoke to the pilot and later filed a report with the police at the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, feeling mistreated by the airline’s handling of the situation.
In response, Spirit Airlines issued a statement acknowledging the seriousness of the claim and the involvement of their crew in promptly addressing the situation. They also mentioned that law enforcement had commenced an investigation into the matter.