Georgia Father Suing Delta After Alleged Assault by Flight Attendant

A father from Georgia is taking legal action against Delta Airlines, claiming that a flight attendant slapped him in the face during a heated exchange that stemmed from an argument about providing water for his family. The father’s legal team asserts that the incident was rooted in bias.

Mohammad Sibli, traveling with his wife and their two young sons, ages four and two, was on a Delta flight from Atlanta to Fresno, California. He described the incident at a press conference held on Tuesday.

After takeoff, as flight attendants distributed snacks, Sibli alleges that the attendant refused to serve his wife. This prompted him to stand up and request water from the same attendant, who he claims responded rudely. He managed, eventually, to get water from other attendants who apologized for the initial refusal.

Things escalated quickly, though. As the flight continued, when the same attendant approached him again asking if he needed water, Sibli declined and asked her to leave him alone. “Then she asked the police if she wanted to see me at the gate, hinting at possible arrest. She ignored me as she continued her work,” he stated alongside his legal team.

Sibli recounted that as the flight attendant made her rounds serving others, she bumped into him, which he tried to overlook. Other passengers noticed the situation and voiced their confusion about the attendant’s behavior. At one point, Sibli claimed the attendant whispered inappropriate remarks in his ear, prompting him to retaliate verbally as he felt humiliated in front of his children.

In a surprising turn, he reported that the flight attendant then slapped him hard in the face. “I complained to the other flight attendants about the assault,” he noted, adding that his concerns were met with indifference as they continued to serve other passengers.

Eventually, the other attendants told the upset attendant to sit at the back of the plane.

Sibli expressed his feelings of helplessness during the ordeal, stating, “I was stuck on that plane for almost four hours. It was painful and embarrassing. As a father, I felt humiliated and scared for my family’s safety.”

Sibli’s lawyer, Ali Awad, suggested that the incident might have been influenced by his wife’s clothing. Awad referenced previous allegations of discrimination against Palestinians by airline staff and emphasized that the incident reflects a troubling pattern.

After the incident, Delta responded by suspending the involved attendants while investigating further. However, they did not provide comments about the situation when approached for a response.

Awad concluded with demands for extensive sensitivity training for all Delta employees, stressing that the airline had disrupted Sibli’s experience significantly.