Peter and Dr. Mary Jane Williams claim they were subjected to “discriminatory and outrageous conduct” by the airline and “unlawful detention” by airport police
NEED TO KNOW
- A couple claims they were denied boarding on an American Airlines flight after a dispute over the size of a carry-on bag
- Peter and Dr. Mary Jane Williams say the April 2024 incident subjected them to “discriminatory and outrageous conduct” by the airline and “unlawful detention” by Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport police, per complaints
A dispute over carry-on luggage allegedly escalated after police were called on a customer at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).
American Airlines passengers Peter and Dr. Mary Jane Williams filed two separate civil complaints, obtained by PEOPLE, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas on April 8. One complaint names American Airlines as the defendant while the other names the airport, its department of public safety, and four responding officers.
The lawsuits stem from an incident that allegedly occurred on April 14, 2024, when the couple was traveling from Evansville, Ind., to Phoenix with a layover in Texas.
The couple claims they had valid tickets and boarding passes for all segments of their trip. During the first leg, Mary Jane says she boarded the aircraft with all of her luggage as carry-on baggage without incident — though it is not specified how much luggage she brought with her…