CEO Sues American Airlines Over Alleged Inaction During Sexual Misconduct Incident

Neel Elsherif claims a male passenger masturbated next to her for an hour during a May 2024 flight, while airline staff dismissed her concerns and failed to act.

Neel Elsherif, a CEO, alleges that a male passenger masturbated next to her for approximately an hour during an American Airlines flight from New York to Milan in May 2024.
Elsherif claims that a flight attendant dismissed her report, stating, 'Men just do stuff like that,' and refused to confront the male passenger.
The lawsuit, filed on March 21, 2025, accuses American Airlines of negligence, racial discrimination, and emotional distress, citing the flight crew's failure to address the incident or report it to authorities.
Elsherif alleges that her treatment was influenced by racial bias, as she is an Arab woman, while the male passenger and flight attendant were white.
American Airlines has acknowledged the complaint and stated that it is reviewing the allegations, but no further actions have been reported as of March 30, 2025.