Boston, Massachusetts – American Airlines is facing criticism for its handling of a civil lawsuit involving one of its flight attendants, Estes Carter Thompson III, who allegedly recorded five girls in airplane bathrooms. Thompson, 36, from Charlotte, North Carolina, was indicted last month following an incident on a Boston-bound American Airlines flight during the previous summer.
According to federal prosecutors, on September 2, 2023, Thompson video-recorded a 14-year-old female passenger in an airplane bathroom using his cellphone. Subsequent investigations revealed videos of four other girls, aged 7, 9, 11, and 14, recorded in aircraft lavatories between January 2023 and August 2023.
The parents of the 9-year-old girl, who was reportedly filmed on a flight from Austin, Texas, to Los Angeles in January 2023, have filed a civil lawsuit against Thompson and American Airlines. The airline’s response to the suit, suggesting the girl was at fault for using a lavatory with a concealed recording device, has sparked outrage and disbelief among legal experts and the girls’ families.
Attorney Paul Llewellyn criticized American Airlines’ legal stance as shocking and outrageous, questioning the morality of blaming a 9-year-old for being filmed in an airplane bathroom. The lack of accountability and empathy from the airline has further dismayed the affected families, who have not received an apology or communication regarding the incidents.
Thompson pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of images of child sexual abuse at his arraignment in Boston. American Airlines stated that Thompson was immediately removed from service following his arrest and has not worked for the airline since the September incident on Flight 1441. The case is scheduled to return to court on July 1.
The insensitivity displayed by American Airlines in response to the lawsuit highlights a concerning lack of accountability and compassion for the victims of the alleged incidents. The families of the girls affected by Thompson’s actions deserve justice and support in the aftermath of this distressing situation.