An Orthodox Jewish flyer is suing United Airlines, claiming a pilot got him arrested after yanking him out of the bathroom with his pants still down because he was taking too long while constipated.
New Jersey traveler Yisroel Liebb, 20, was 30 minutes into a flight from Mexico to Texas when he got up to use the restroom — with his seatmate, Jacob Sebbag, raising concerns with the crew when he hadn’t returned 20 minutes later, according to his lawsuit.
Liebb told the attendant he was merely “experiencing constipation” and would be out shortly — but 10 minutes later, the pilot demanded he leave immediately, the filing said.
Enraged, the pilot broke down the door and yanked Liebb out while his pants were still down, exposing his genitalia to passengers, the lawsuit alleges.
As Liebb pulled up his pants, the pilot said he would get him and his seatmate arrested — allegedly saying it was how “Jews act,” the lawsuit alleged.
After landing, both Sebbag and Liebb were arrested by five U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents who boarded the plane and brought them to a detention facility inside the terminal, according to the lawsuit also against the border agency as well as Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration.
The agents allegedly cuffed Liebb so tight that he yelled out due to the pain, the lawsuit said.
Liebb and Sebbag were released without charges after the melee, but missed their connecting flight home, which took off for New York while they were still detained, the complaint said.
They were rebooked on a flight leaving the next day for free, but the pair still had to pay additional charges for a hotel and food, the lawsuit stated.
Liebb and Sebbag both claim the handcuffs caused persisting “severe wrist pain” and Liebb suffered injuries to his head and legs when forcefully removed from the bathroom.
The pair are seeking damages in an amount to be determined at trial, plus attorneys’ fees, according to the complaint.
United Airlines said it did not “have anything to share” on the lawsuit.
