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Passenger Sues Airline Employee Who Took Her Number From Her Luggage Tag And Sent Her Creepy Texts
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Passenger Sues Airline Employee Who Took Her Number From Her Luggage Tag And Sent Her Creepy Texts

American Airlines Employee Takes Passenger’s Number From Her Luggage Tag, Texts Her Over 100 TimesAmerican Airlines Employee Who Harassed A Passenger By Sending Her Over 100 Texts Gets Sued, FiredWoman Receives Flirty Texts, Turns Out An Airlines Worker Wrote Her Number Down From Her Luggage TagAirlines Worker Takes Woman's Number From Her Bag Tag, Bombards Her With Messages, She Shares It OnlineAirlines Worker Steals Woman's Number From Her Bag, Texts Her Over 100 Suggestive MessagesAirlines Worker Steals Woman's Number From Her Bag To Text Her Over 100 Times So She Sues HimPassenger Sues Airline Employee Who Took Her Number From Her Luggage Tag And Sent Her Creepy TextsCreepy Airline Employee Gets Woman's Number From Her Bag Tag And Harasses Her With Over 100 MessagesWoman Frightened After Airline Employee Took Her Number From Her Bag Tag, Then Harassed And Stalked Her
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The vast majority of us are concerned about our safety whenever we travel by plane. But most of us are worried about technical failure or flying into a thunderstorm, not about the people working for the airlines.

One woman had such a harrowing experience with an American Airlines employee that she filed a lawsuit against him for sexual harassment, stalking, and inflicting emotional distress. A man who introduced himself as Ahmad got Ashley Barno’s number from her luggage tag, texted her over 100 times, and even followed her on the plane from San Diego.

Barno’s also suing American Airlines for hiring him and whose other employees had been aware that this wasn’t the first time that Ahmad acted this way. Bored Panda reached out to American Airlines to clear up a few questions we had. Scroll down for the interview.

Ashley Barno became the victim of unwanted advances when an American Airlines employee got her phone number from her luggage tag

Image credits: Ashley Barno

Here are some of the messages he sent her. He also followed her on the plane and allegedly sent her suggestive images

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Image credits: Ashley Barno

Ahmad was escorted off the plane when it landed in Chicago after Barno talked to a flight attendant who “was helpful and nice and kind enough to make sure she got home OK,” her attorney Joe Samo said. The very same helpful employee confirmed to Barno that staff members were aware of Ahmad and what he does.

According to Samo, his client still feels nervous when traveling by plane, even though the event with Ahmad took place in April 2019. American Airlines fired the employee after this particular incident. Company spokesman Joshua Freed had this to say: “The employee involved in the complaint is no longer employed at American Airlines.” It’s unclear if Ahmad is the man’s real name or if he was using it to protect his identity.

The lawsuit includes information that Ahmad allegedly also sent Barno suggestive images. Because of all of this, Barno had to seek professional help because she had problems sleeping, eating, and socializing with her loved ones. The first hearing for the case will occur in June 2020, so it’ll still be a while before we find out the results of the lawsuit.

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“Basically, after this happened, her sense of privacy is heightened, her concern about who has her number and now she is concerned when she has to give it out,” her attorney Samo told the media. “She is nervous when she is alone and has to travel for work.”

But it’s not just passengers who can be harassed while on flights. A lot of flight attendants also become the targets of unwanted advances and abuse.

Flight attendants get harassed too

The Association of Flight Attendants states that a shocking 68 percent of flight attendants experienced sexual harassment during their careers. 35 percent experienced verbal sexual harassment from passengers in the last year. And of those, 68 percent faced it three or more times. While a third faced it five or more times in the past year.

Meanwhile, 18 percent of flight attendants experienced physical sexual harassment from passengers in the last year. The staff who were harassed said that they had their intimate areas “touched, felt, pulled, grabbed, groped, slapped, rubbed, and fondled.” Some passengers cornered them, lunged at them, gave them hugs, kisses, and even humped them. The saddest part is that 68 percent of flight attendants mentioned that they didn’t notice their employers addressing harassment at work over the past year.

The employee “was not on duty for American at the time” of the incident

When contacted by Bored Panda, American Airlines highlighted that the company “takes the privacy and safety of our customers seriously” and noted that they took action when faced with the situation.

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“We investigated the allegations and took appropriate action.”

A representative of American Airlines also confirmed to Bored Panda that the employee in question had been fired: “The employee involved in the complaint is no longer employed at American Airlines.”

What’s more, the company said that the employee “was not on duty for American at the time” of the incident.

This is how some internet users reacted to the story

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Jonas Grinevičius

Jonas Grinevičius

Writer, BoredPanda staff

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Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

Read less »
Jonas Grinevičius

Jonas Grinevičius

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

Justinas Keturka

Justinas Keturka

Author, BoredPanda staff

Read more »

I'm the Visual Editor at Bored Panda, responsible for ensuring that everything our audience sees is top-notch and well-researched. What I love most about my job? Discovering new things about the world and immersing myself in exceptional photography and art.

Read less »

Justinas Keturka

Justinas Keturka

Author, BoredPanda staff

I'm the Visual Editor at Bored Panda, responsible for ensuring that everything our audience sees is top-notch and well-researched. What I love most about my job? Discovering new things about the world and immersing myself in exceptional photography and art.

What do you think ?
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reneegauthier avatar
Renee Gauthier
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She's not blocking his number because the texts are evidence. She had no way of knowing if he would escalate.

raroararoa avatar
RaroaRaroa
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Did he text her over 100 times on that one flight, or did he carry on after being escorted off the plane?

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michel_2 avatar
Marcellus the Third
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Why didn't she block after the second text?" Well, then he'd still be harassing others?

remy_rope avatar
Remy Sonia
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It also deflects the blame off of the predator instead of the victim. He should've NEVER taken her number from her luggage, period. That is the only action that matters.

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pixie420 avatar
J. Normal
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ladies, take note of the "men's" comments. This is a prevelent problem and can only be "solved" by US (females) and our allies. Men with this attitude show it early, do not give them the time of day. Look for men who respect themselves and others, the "bad boy" does not want to be "fixed". Men and women: respect yourself and others, when you see something wrong STAND UP for yourself and others. (if he had been reported/ sued earlier maybe this would not have happened to her.)

Load More Comments
reneegauthier avatar
Renee Gauthier
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She's not blocking his number because the texts are evidence. She had no way of knowing if he would escalate.

raroararoa avatar
RaroaRaroa
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Did he text her over 100 times on that one flight, or did he carry on after being escorted off the plane?

Load More Replies...
michel_2 avatar
Marcellus the Third
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Why didn't she block after the second text?" Well, then he'd still be harassing others?

remy_rope avatar
Remy Sonia
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It also deflects the blame off of the predator instead of the victim. He should've NEVER taken her number from her luggage, period. That is the only action that matters.

Load More Replies...
pixie420 avatar
J. Normal
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ladies, take note of the "men's" comments. This is a prevelent problem and can only be "solved" by US (females) and our allies. Men with this attitude show it early, do not give them the time of day. Look for men who respect themselves and others, the "bad boy" does not want to be "fixed". Men and women: respect yourself and others, when you see something wrong STAND UP for yourself and others. (if he had been reported/ sued earlier maybe this would not have happened to her.)

Load More Comments
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