Less than a month after a United Airlines passenger reported that a man seated beside her masturbated during a flight, a second woman has come forward with a strikingly similar account. The passenger, traveling first class on an overnight flight from San Diego to Newark, says the man beside her watched pornography and masturbated beneath a blanket. Despite reporting the incident to flight attendants, she says she was not initially offered another seat and had to return to her place beside him. Only after approaching the crew a second time was she moved. United has since apologized and banned the man from flying with the airline pending an investigation.
The woman, a San Diego resident whose identity has not been disclosed, told NBC 7 Investigates that she had purchased a first-class ticket specifically to sleep comfortably during the overnight flight. Shortly after takeoff, while the seat belt sign was still illuminated, she noticed what she described as suspicious movements beneath the blanket covering the man next to her. When she looked over, she said she realized he was watching a pornographic video on his phone and masturbating.
A United airliner
(Photo: Markus Mainka / shutterstock)
"I was frozen. Horrified," she recalled. She explained that she felt trapped in the window seat because the man's seat was fully reclined, forcing her to climb over him to reach the aisle.
She eventually managed to get up and alert a flight attendant, who told her she would speak to the man. According to the passenger, however, no crew member asked whether she was all right or offered to move her. After visiting the restroom, she returned to her original seat beside the man she had just reported.
Still shaken, she began texting friends who worked as flight attendants, describing what had happened. They urged her to insist on being moved immediately. As she continued messaging them, she said, she suddenly realized her entire body was trembling.
She approached the crew again, apologizing for interrupting their work before explaining that she could no longer remain beside the man and felt uncomfortable and unsafe. This time, the flight attendants agreed to move her, arranging for her to exchange seats with another passenger.
‘We missed the mark on a lot’
According to the woman, police were not called to meet the aircraft when it landed in Newark, and the man was allowed to leave without being detained. She said the crew did not suggest contacting law enforcement or explain how she could formally report the incident.
Only several days later, when she contacted United's customer service department, was she advised to reach out to the FBI. She subsequently filed a report herself.
In a statement to NBC 7, United said it took the allegations seriously, had spoken with the passenger and apologized for her experience. The airline also confirmed that it had banned the other passenger pending the outcome of its investigation. United declined NBC's request for an on-camera interview and did not answer whether it had reported the incident to the FBI.
After NBC contacted the airline, a United customer service supervisor called the woman. The passenger recorded the conversation and shared it with reporters. During the call, the supervisor acknowledged shortcomings in both the flight crew's handling of the incident and the response to the woman's initial customer service complaint.
The supervisor told her that she had reviewed the earlier customer service call and believed the airline had fallen short in several respects. She apologized and acknowledged that the previous case, reported in September, had prompted discussions among United executives about how to respond to complaints of sexual misconduct.
The supervisor also agreed that the airline needed to improve its support for passengers reporting sexual harassment and its involvement of law enforcement. United offered the woman a choice between $1,000 in credit toward future flights and 50,000 frequent-flyer miles. She chose the miles.
Another passenger, another complaint
The latest allegations follow a similar incident reported by NBC News in September involving a 25-year-old woman traveling on a United Express flight from Rochester, New York, to Newark. The flight was operated by Republic Airways on United's behalf.
The woman alleged that a man seated beside her masturbated while looking directly at her. After she complained to flight attendants, she was told the aircraft was full and there was no available seat to which she could move.
The crew allowed her to stand for part of the flight, but she said she was required to return to her original seat beside the man for landing. According to her account, the man was also allowed to leave the aircraft without being arrested. United later offered her $100 in compensation, although her ticket had cost approximately $400.
The case prompted criticism in the United States. On October 6, 28 Democratic lawmakers wrote to United CEO Scott Kirby, demanding explanations of the airline's policies for handling sexual harassment complaints and the procedures flight attendants are expected to follow. United responded on October 16, but the lawmakers said its explanations were inadequate.
157 reports of sexual misconduct this year
Speaking to NBC 7, Oscar Medina, an assistant special agent in charge at the FBI's San Diego field office, said sexual assaults aboard aircraft most frequently occur on longer overnight flights, when passengers are sleeping.
According to figures provided by the FBI, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) received 157 reports of sexual misconduct or sexual assault aboard flights from the beginning of 2026. Medina said the number of reports had increased in recent years.
The second United complaint has now renewed pressure on the airline in Congress. On October 23, Democratic Representative Debbie Dingell sent another letter to Kirby, criticizing United's October 16 response to the earlier complaint and demanding concrete changes to its handling of sexual misconduct allegations.
Dingell said she intended to introduce legislation strengthening passenger protections and requiring airlines to respond more effectively to reports of sexual harassment. She demanded that United provide a written explanation by October 30 detailing the steps it would take to improve the handling of such complaints.
The congresswoman also stressed that the problem extended beyond United Airlines and required broader action across the aviation industry. "We need action, and we need it now," she said.