American Airlines claimed a child was at fault for being secretly recorded in a restroom. It’s now changing its response
Airline Blames Child in Restroom Spying Case?
American Airlines is revising its legal stance after initially blaming a 9-year-old girl for her own recording in an airplane bathroom by a former employee. The airline, responding to a lawsuit, claimed the child was negligent for using a bathroom with a "visible and illuminated recording device." Facing backlash, the airline directed its law firm to amend this response, stating the defense did not represent their values and affirming the child was not at fault. The ex-employee involved faces federal charges for recording several minors on flights.
What reasons did American Airlines provide for the error in their initial legal response to the lawsuit involving the 9-year-old girl?
American Airlines attributed the error in their initial legal response to the lawsuit involving the 9-year-old girl to a mistake made by outside counsel retained by their insurance company. The airline stated that the controversial defense, which blamed the child for using a lavatory with a visible recording device, was not representative of their views. After recognizing the inappropriateness of this defense, American Airlines directed its law firm to amend the response, emphasizing that they do not believe the child was at fault and expressing their serious regard for the allegations concerning the former employee involved.
What was American Airlines' initial legal response to the lawsuit concerning the incident with Mary Doe, and how did they later amend their stance?
American Airlines' initial legal response to the lawsuit concerning the incident with Mary Doe was to blame the 9-year-old girl for using an airplane bathroom that had a recording device allegedly placed there by a former employee. They argued that the girl was at fault and negligent because she used a lavatory "she knew or should have known contained a visible and illuminated recording device."
However, American Airlines later amended their stance, stating that the filing was made in error by outside counsel retained by the airline's insurance company. They claimed that the included defense was not representative of their airline and that they do not believe the child is at fault. They also emphasized that they take the allegations involving a former team member very seriously.