A United Airlines business class passenger faced an appalling incident during a flight from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Manila on December 27. The victim, Jerome Gutierrez, was reportedly urinated on by a fellow passenger while asleep in his seat. According to Gutierrez’s stepdaughter, Nicole Cornell, the incident left her father drenched and shocked as he endured the remaining eight hours of the journey in his soaked clothes.
The offender, who claimed to have acted in a dream-like state, later apologised to Gutierrez. However, flight attendants reportedly advised the victim to avoid confronting the individual to prevent any escalation, leaving him to sit through the ordeal without immediate resolution.
United Airlines Responds
Following the incident, United Airlines banned the offending passenger and called authorities to investigate upon landing in Manila. A spokesperson for the airline confirmed a “passenger disturbance” on the flight but refrained from providing additional details.
Nicole Cornell criticised the airline for its handling of the situation, accusing the crew of prioritising operational concerns over passenger safety and health. “This was a biohazard. The plane should have turned around to address the issue,” she remarked, expressing her disappointment with the airline’s response.
Similar Incidents Raise Concerns
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred in recent aviation history. In 2023, an intoxicated passenger on an Air India flight urinated on a fellow traveler, prompting the airline to place the individual on a no-fly list and file a police complaint.
The recurring nature of such incidents has sparked debates about passenger behaviour and the responsibility of airlines to ensure safety and dignity during travel.
