FAA Inspector Sues United Over Alleged Retaliation for Safety Report

A Federal Aviation Administration safety inspector has filed an extraordinary lawsuit against United Airlines, alleging the carrier imposed a lifetime travel ban and retaliated against him after he raised safety concerns during a flight in 2022.

Paul Asmus, an FAA aviation safety inspector, claims United Airlines took punitive action against him after he reported what he believed were violations of federal safety regulations while traveling off duty on a United flight on May 12, 2022. The lawsuit, filed last week in a San Jose district court, accuses United Airlines of defamation, tortious interference with employment, fraudulent misrepresentation, and civil extortion, among other claims.

According to the 76-page civil complaint, Asmus noticed that the seatback pocket at his assigned seat was torn, which he says impaired access to the emergency briefing card and constituted a potential safety violation. He also photographed a passenger standing in the aisle during pushback, an action prohibited under FAA rules. Although he was traveling off duty, Asmus says his role as a safety inspector obligated him to report the issues.

Asmus alleges that cabin crew accused him of photographing them and behaving combatively, claims he denies. He says the flight crew demanded to see the photos and warned the aircraft would return to the gate if he did not comply. Although Asmus showed that no crew members had been photographed, the aircraft returned to the gate and he was removed from the flight.

Following the incident, Asmus claims United portrayed him as a disruptive passenger motivated by personal gain rather than a regulator acting in the interest of safety. The airline allegedly imposed a lifetime travel ban, demanded $3,153 in restitution for the gate return, and filed a formal complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration.

The complaint further alleges that United was aware Asmus was actively involved in oversight of its Boeing 737 Max fleet and sought to have him removed from that role. After the airline’s complaint, Asmus was taken off United-related oversight duties, including an ongoing investigation into the carrier’s 737 Max operations.

The FAA subsequently initiated a civil penalty enforcement action against Asmus. However, in June 2025, a Department of Transportation administrative law judge dismissed the case, finding United’s witnesses unreliable. The FAA declined to appeal, making the ruling final.

In its decision, the court warned that penalizing passengers for reporting safety concerns would create a chilling effect on aviation safety, stating that such actions could discourage reporting and endanger lives.

Despite the ruling, United has refused to lift Asmus’s travel ban. He is now seeking $12.75 million in damages, including $10 million in punitive damages, $2.5 million in general damages, and $250,000 in special economic damages, and has requested a jury trial.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, paddleyourownkanoo.com