Why did two passengers sue United Airlines? Lawsuit over pilot's alleged interference explained

Two United Airlines passengers have recently sued the company after a pilot allegedly forced one of them out of the bathroom. According to the federal lawsuit filed in New York on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, they were later detained by United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials due to "false and misleading statements" reportedly made by airline employees.

Per the complaint, plaintiffs Yisroel Liebb and Jacob Sebba, the incident took place earlier this year (January 28) on a flight departing from Tulum, Mexico, for Houston, Texas. Shortly after the flight took off, Liebb experienced constipation and subsequently was confined to the bathroom.

After asking Sebba to check up on Liebb a couple of times, the pilot reportedly broke the lock and pulled the latter out of the bathroom with his pants still around his ankles, the lawsuit alleged. The two men were then restricted to their seats and forced off the plane in handcuffs once they landed.

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In addition to United Airlines, the lawsuit named CBP, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Transportation Security Administration as defendants

The suit claimed that Yisroel Liebb was in the bathroom at the back of the plane for twenty minutes when a flight attendant woke his friend Jacob Sebba from a nap to check on him. After talking to the former, Sebba reportedly relayed his friend's gastrointestinal troubles to the attendant.

Ten minutes later, the United Airlines pilot allegedly asked Sebba to check on his friend again and try to get him out. Following this, the pilot screamed at Liebb to leave the bathroom immediately and even reportedly demanded that Sebba force his friend out of the lavatory.

The lawsuit claimed that the pilot then broke the lock and pulled Liebb out with his pants still around his ankles. As a result, it reportedly exposed the plaintiff to Sebbag, flight attendants, and nearby passengers.

The United Airlines employee in question then allegedly forced the two men to their seats while making disparaging remarks about their faith. According to the complaint, he even commented on how "Jews act." The plaintiffs are American citizens of the Orthodox Jewish faith and were wearing traditional garb at the time.

Per the lawsuit, after landing, half a dozen CBP employees boarded the plane to escort the two men in handcuffs. When Liebb questioned why they were being detained, one of the officers allegedly replied:

"This isn’t county or state, we are homeland, you have no rights here."

The United Airlines passengers were reportedly handcuffed (Image via Getty)

The pair (and their luggage) were allegedly subjected to "intrusive, unconsented, unwarranted and unreasonable searches."

In addition to United Airlines, the complaint named the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), CBP, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The lawsuit seeks damages "determined at trial" along with lawyer and other fees.

The suit alleges that the two plaintiffs experienced "significant unwarranted delay in their travel plans, physical injuries, great discomfort, extreme emotional distress, (and) public embarrassment." It further noted that Liebb felt "s*xually violated and embarrassed after having been publicly exposed in the nude."

The complaint added that owing to the detainment, the men missed their connecting flight to New York. While United Airlines provided them with a complimentary flight scheduled for the next day, the charges for food and board for the additional stay negated the price.

In a statement made to USA Today on Monday, March 24, 2025, DHS explained that United Airlines requested them to "step in" on suspicion that Liebb and Sebbag were in possession of ketamine. Meanwhile, CBP spokesperson Hilton Beckham told CNBC that they responded to a "disturbance" at the behest of the airlines but declined to comment further.

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United Airlines has not publicly commented on the lawsuit.