A California woman is suing American Airlines, alleging she was sexually assaulted mid-flight in April 2024 by a man previously accused of similar misconduct. The suit, filed by Barbara Morgan, claims the airline failed to prevent the assault despite knowing that the alleged assailant, Cherian Abraham, had a prior sexual abuse allegation reported to the company in 2023.
Morgan says she was assaulted during a red-eye flight from San Francisco to Dallas and that no crew members intervened during or after the incident. She also alleges the airline victim-blamed her, ignored her complaints, and failed to follow up meaningfully after she reported the attack.
In March 2025, Abraham was federally charged with abusive sexual contact related to another incident on a separate American Airlines flight. Morgan’s lawsuit accuses the airline of negligence, emotional distress, and concealment, and Abraham of sexual battery and gender violence.
American Airlines has since banned Abraham from flying with the carrier and stated it is cooperating with law enforcement. Morgan’s legal team argues the airline has repeatedly ignored warnings about inflight sexual assaults, calling it a “failure of basic responsibility.”
Source: NBC News
