- By Shivangi Sharma
- Thu, 28 Aug 2025 07:04 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A Georgia father is suing Delta Air Lines for an astronomical Rs 166 crore (USD 20 million), claiming a flight attendant slapped him during a mid-air altercation that began with a simple request for water for his young son. The lawsuit stems from a July 29 Delta flight from Atlanta to Fresno, California, where Mohammad Shibli, a Palestinian American, was travelling with his wife, 4-year-old son, and 2-year-old son. According to Shibli’s attorneys, the confrontation began when his younger son began crying for water. Shibli requested assistance from a flight attendant but was allegedly denied in a dismissive “tone,” which triggered the exchange.
Despite other attendants eventually providing the water and apologising for their colleague’s behaviour, the situation escalated further when the same crew member later returned. Shibli declined her service, asking to be left alone. He alleges that the attendant deliberately bumped into him and whispered a vulgar insult in his ear.
When Shibli responded with curse words, he claims the attendant turned back, walked toward him, and slapped him across the face with an open palm “as hard as she could.”
Public Humiliation And Trauma
Recounting the incident at a press conference, Shibli said, “It was painful and embarrassing, and as a father, I looked helpless in front of my son. As a husband, I was humiliated, and as a passenger, I feared for my family’s safety.”
His attorney, Ali Awad of CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Firm, said witnesses on the flight were equally shocked but confirmed that Shibli remained calm and did not retaliate physically. Instead, he endured the rest of the four-hour journey “in humiliation.”
Legal Demands And Allegations of Prejudice
Shibli’s legal team alleges the altercation stemmed from prejudice against his Palestinian identity. They are demanding that Delta provide mandatory sensitivity training on Palestine for all employees and pay damages equivalent to a full day of the airline’s profits.
The case has drawn parallels with earlier controversies involving Delta and Palestinian representation. Last year, the airline faced backlash when flight attendants wearing Palestinian flag pins were falsely accused online of displaying “Hamas badges,” forcing Delta to issue clarifications and disciplinary measures.