Nigerian woman sues removed from United Airlines – She was kicked off flight with her kids, when white male passenger told crew she smelled bad
Nigerian passenger and her three children allegedly, woman removed from United Airlines flight at Houston’s Bush Intercontinental airport, after white male passenger told crew she smelled bad
Te forcible ejection was inflicted on Queen Obioma, a frequent United flier and member of the airline’s Star Alliance, on March 4, 2016
She was traveling to Ontario, Canada with and her three minor children were from Lagos, Nigeria
Obioma’s lawsuit against United claims she and her minor children were boarding a San Francisco-bound plane when an altercation with a white, male passenger escalated to the point where United staff pulled her family from the flight
She was informed the business class passenger was not comfortable flying with her because she was “pungent” and informed that she could not return to the plane
Distraught Obioma explained that her children, on their way to school in Canada were still onboard – United agents removed the children from the flight as well
The family finally, made their connection five hours later
Obioma says United discriminated against her because she is black, African and Nigerian, she’s seeking punitive damages and attorney’s fees
mother ejected from a San Francisco bound flight at Houston’s Bush Airport, files race discrimination suit United Airlines. The international passenger alleging the airlines discriminated against her because she is black, African and Nigerian
Queen Obioma claims she and her minor children were boarding a San Francisco-bound plane when an altercation with a white, male passenger escalated to the point where United staff pulled her family from the flight, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Obioma, a frequent United flier and member of the airline’s Star Alliance, was travelling from Lagos, Nigeria, to Ontario, Canada, on March 4, 2016. Her children are enrolled in school in Canada, according to court documents obtained by the Chronicle.
She boarded a flight at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, the second in a three leg journey to Canada, where she found a white, male passenger settled in her assigned seat. He refused to move, according to the lawsuit. The flight staff attempted to resolve the conflict, but the man persisted, and Obioma agreed to take his seat nearby.
She used the aircraft’s restroom before takeoff, and was blocked by the male passenger when she tried to return to her seat, court documents show.
She says a crew member identified as Russel H. ordered her to exit the plane.
Another staffer told her the pilot had asked that she be ejected from the flight—after the male passenger seated near her complained about her “pungent” smell, according to the lawsuit.
An unnerved Obioma argued that her children were still aboard, prompting agents to remove them from the flight, too.
The family later made their connection, according to the report.
United Airlines has not yet commented on the lawsuit.
“We have not yet been served with this suit and due to the pending litigation involved in this matter, we’re unable to provide further comment,” an airlines spokesman said in a statement to the Houston Chronicle.
Obioma claims she was racially discriminated against and is seeking punitive damages along with attorney’s fees.
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