American Airlines faces lawsuit after flight attendant locks mother in lavatory

American Airlines is facing a lawsuit after a flight attendant allegedly locked a mother in the lavatory with her child. According to court documents, the incident occurred on an American Airlines flight from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) on November 19, 2022.

The plaintiff, Brittany Oswell, claims that after she complained about the lack of air conditioning in her row, the flight attendant became aggressive and demanded that she go to the lavatory with her young son to “cool off.” Once inside the lavatory, the flight attendant allegedly locked the door, leaving Oswell and her son trapped inside for approximately 30 minutes.

Oswell claims that she suffered a panic attack during the incident and that her son suffered from anxiety and distress. The lawsuit alleges negligence, breach of contract, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, and seeks damages for the physical and emotional harm caused to Oswell and her son.

In a statement to the media, American Airlines stated that it was aware of the lawsuit and that it would be “vigorously defending” itself against the claims. The airline also stated that it took the allegations seriously and that it was conducting an internal investigation into the incident.