A female passenger is set to sue the world’s largest low-cost carrier after it is claimed that the individual was subject to advances from an unruly passenger and that Southwest Airlines did not protect her. The female passenger, who was 20 at the time of the incident in August 2024, has claimed that a 39-year-old man sexually assaulted her on the flight from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Sacramento International Airport (SMF).
Southwest is now facing a lawsuit from the female passenger who is suing the Dallas-based airline for negligence and gross negligence. At the same time, the male passenger who has been named as Jeff Lorenzo is also being sued for negligence, assault, and battery.
An Intoxicated Male Passenger Onboard A Southwest Fleet Allegedly Assaulted The Female
According to the report by King5, it is claimed that on August 20, Lorenzo boarded the aircraft at Seattle under the influence of alcohol, and even with signs of intoxication, the flight attendants continued to serve him at least two more alcoholic beverages. The female passenger’s seat was located next to Lorenzo, and between him and his co-worker.
During the two-hour flight to Sacramento, it is claimed that Lorenzo repeatedly touched the female passenger without consent. Lorenzo has already pleaded guilty to simple assault when faced with the claims by the US District Court in the Eastern District of California. As a result, Lorenzo was recommended to receive a 30-day prison sentence, paired with 18 months on probation.
Simple Flying reached out to Southwest for comment; the airline responded that it cannot comment on cases that are currently facing litigation.
The Southwest Airlines Lawsuit: A Two-Hour Nightmare Flight
With the two-hour flight quickly becoming a nightmare for the female passenger, she is now taking a stand with the lawsuit alleging that Southwest did not properly train its employees to ensure they could easily identify the intoxicated individual and prevent and respond to the continued in-flight sexual advances. The claim also suggests that the airline had failed to train employees to follow policies and procedures.
Additionally, the claim has reiterated that Southwest failed to follow federal law, which would have prohibited intoxicated passengers (Lorenzo) from boarding the flight and continuing to serve him alcohol once onboard the aircraft. Due to these failings, the two-hour flight became a nightmare for the woman, who then faced physical and emotional injuries from Lorenzo’s advances.
According to MyNorthwest, the incident occurred on Southwest flight WN3548 on August 20, and while the claim does not stipulate the financial amount the female passenger is seeking, the claim will seek compensation and general damages, for which a figure will be proven at trial.
A gate agent went beyond Southwest’s rules to ground a passenger.
Airline Responsibilities For Intoxicated Individuals
Airlines should refuse boarding if they suspect a visibly intoxicated individual is attempting to board an aircraft. As stipulated by the FAA, under section 121.575, airlines are prohibited from allowing visibly intoxicated passengers onto the plane, and ground staff or flight attendants are trained to flag and, where required, deny passengers before they reach the gate. Further details of 121.575 are below:
Airlines are prohibited from permitting anyone to board an aircraft if they show signs of being intoxicated.
Onboard, the crew is forbidden from serving alcohol if there are signs of a passenger being intoxicated.
Passengers are only permitted to drink alcohol onboard if the airline crew serves it to them (i.e., you cannot drink your own alcohol)
Airlines are mandated to report any disturbance caused by an intoxicated flyer to the FAA Administrator
Once onboard, flight attendants are required to restrict the serving of alcohol to anyone who appears to be under the influence, in a bid to manage potential unruly behavior. The captain and cabin crew are responsible for ensuring the order of those onboard, and if a passenger becomes aggressive, disruptive, or is unable to follow instructions, the airline is responsible for taking action to isolate the individual.
If there is a serious safety risk, the pilot is authorized, when required, to divert the aircraft to the nearest suitable airport where the individual can then be attended to by local police. Following the advances experienced by the passenger on the Southwest flight from Seattle to Sacramento, the airline now faces a legal determination on whether it was negligent.
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