Etihad Airways is facing a complaint from a disgruntled passenger for allegedly letting another traveler get away with racist behavior on board its aircraft.
According to a CNN Philippines report, Christine Arimas sued Etihad before a Makati court for allegedly mishandling the incident. She is seeking 21 million for actual, moral, and exemplary damages from the airline, plus P1 million in legal fees.
Arimas’ complaint stemmed from her experience flying with Etihad from Geneva to Manila in July 2022. She said a man, who appeared to be intoxicated, grabbed her from her seat and shook her while saying: “You crazy Asian people!”
She said flight attendants transferred the man to another seat near her. He was also allowed to walk free when the airplane stopped for a layover in Abu Dhabi.
Arimas said Etihad promised that their legal team will handle the incident, but to no avail. She said her lawyers have been coordinating with Etihad but there have been no updates from the airline.
“Worse, they continuously served the assailant with liquor for a good three more hours into the flight despite the aggression he had demonstrated while obviously intoxicated,” she said in the complaint, noting that there was no coordination done to secure her side of the story to complete the investigation.
The Makati court has given Etihad 30 days to respond to the complaint.
