A Delta Air Lines passenger claimed a flight attendant slapped him so loudly that it could be heard through noise-canceling headphones after he asked for a glass of water for his son.
Mohammad Shibli and his lawyers held a press conference on Tuesday announcing their plans to sue the airline for roughly $9.5million – a day’s worth of the company’s profits – over the alleged assault.
Shibli, his wife, and their sons, ages 4 and 2, were on a Delta flight from Atlanta to Fresno on July 29 when he claimed the unidentified female flight attendant slapped him across the face.
He said the flight was delayed for roughly 20 minutes and during that time his two-year-old son started crying for water.
Shibli said his wife tried asking for water first and when she was denied, he tried asking instead.
‘The Delta attendant again refused using a very disrespectful tone,’ he said.
After, he claimed that the same flight attendant started doing drink service and when she reached his row, began acting aggressively.
‘I made it very clear I didn’t want anything from her. She insisted and kept leaning towards me. So, I asked her to leave me alone,’ Shibli said.
‘She then asked if I wanted the police to meet me at the gate, insinuating that she was going to have me arrested. I asked her for what? She just ignored me and continued her service.
‘As she walked back and forth to serve other passengers, she bumped into me with her body.’
He then claimed: ‘The Delta flight attendant then leaned closer to my ear and whispered a very vulgar word to me.
‘I was shocked and couldn’t believe a Delta employee would say such a disgusting word to me, let alone in front of my son.
‘As she walked away, I stood up and verbally responded with a few bad words.
‘It was at that time the Delta attendant took a few steps towards me and struck me with an open palm as hard as she could.’
Shibli’s lawyer, Ali Awad, read a statement at the press conference from a witness who claimed they heard a ‘very loud smack’ through their noise-cancelling headphones when the altercation happened.
‘I was trapped on that plane for almost four hours. 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 the safety and security for myself and for my family,’ Shibli said.
Awad also brought up a July 2024 incident when Delta posted a controversial response to a complaint over flight attendants wearing Palestinian flag lapels.
The X account ‘iliketeslas’ posted photos of two attendants on different Delta flights wearing the pins on their uniforms, and suggested they made him feel unsafe.
‘Since 2001 we take our shoes off in every airport because a terrorist attack in US soil,’ he wrote. ‘Now imagine getting into a Delta flight and seeing workers with Hamas badges in the air. What do you do?’
‘I hear you as I’d be terrified as well, personally,’ the airline tweeted in response.
‘Our employees reflect our culture and we do not take it lightly when our policy is not being followed.’
The post sparked a furious backlash of protest against equating the Palestinian flag with that of the Hamas terror organization and pledges to boycott the Atlanta based carrier.
Awad claimed Shibli’s wife was also wearing a shirt that said Palestine on it during their flight.
‘So I ask you, is this a single isolated incident or is it a pattern of clear discrimination against Palestinians?’ the lawyer said.
They plan to file their lawsuit later this week, demanding Delta require sensitivity training on Palestine and give Shibli a day of the company’s profits, which based on it’s 2024 report is approximately $9.5 million.
Delta told the Daily Mail they are investigating the incident and the flight attendant has been suspended.
‘As the safety and security of our customers and employees comes before all else, Delta launched an immediate internal investigation into this incident,’ a spokesperson said.
‘While Delta does not comment on internal investigations or pending litigation, we are taking this situation very seriously. This flight attendant has been suspended while the investigation is ongoing.’