I don’t think it’s so uncommon for people to fondle themselves or their seatmates on airplanes. Airlines passengers can find themselves in pretty unsafe situations, just because the airline is too cheap to spring for human-sized seats and arm rests (as opposed to poodle-sized seats.) Yes, sue the airline. Airlines should take responsibility for putting customers in such tight quarters.
And Trey, sounds like you subscribe to the Clayton Williams school of thought on sexual assault. And that’s just sad.

as long as we’re throwing out animated tv references…

Why would a Wookiee, an eight-foot tall Wookiee, want to live on Endor, with a bunch of two-foot tall Ewoks? That does not make sense! But more important, you have to ask yourself: What does this have to do with this case? Nothing. Ladies and gentlemen, it has nothing to do with this case! It does not make sense! Look at me. I’m a lawyer defending a major record company, and I’m talkin’ about Chewbacca! Does that make sense? Ladies and gentlemen, I am not making any sense! None of this makes sense! And so you have to remember, when you’re in that jury room deliberatin’ and conjugatin’ the Emancipation Proclamation, does it make sense? No! Ladies and gentlemen of this supposed jury, it does not make sense! If Chewbacca lives on Endor, you must acquit!

The defense rests.

Peter North strikes again.

CDD, you might want to read the article linked too. The man left his own seat to sit next to this lady and did more than just the Divinyls…

yeah, I did read it. is it the flight attendants’ job to babysit passengers? the guy who did it is the one who needs to be dealt with, in my opinion. AA should definitely make a statement to assure the public that they take this matter seriously, but honestly, not seeing how this is their fault.

as for the 2nd commenter’s reference to the size of the seats… wow. so you’re saying if the seats were comfier he wouldn’t have done it? or, it would have been ok because he would have been a few feet further away from her??

Incredulous, come on now, please don’t twist my words.
There are perverts out there. I can choose to avoid them most of the time. But when I’m on a plane, I don’t get to avoid sitting too close to strangers, who are sometimes perverts.
Airlines have all sorts of rules to prevent passengers from bothering each other. Fat people have to buy two seats. Loud or drunk people are sometimes barred from boarding, or, if they become uncontrollable, the pilot can land the plane early and kick them off.
Why should perverted activities be any different? If you want to masterbate, go to the lavatory. Otherwise, you should be subject to getting kicked off the plane. Airlines that can do this for drunk people, but not perverted people, should be subject to lawsuits.

while we’re at it, is it okay to sue the person sitting next to you who wants to chit-chat? how about if they are masturbating while chit-chatting? how about if they’re chit-chatting about masturbating?

I can’t believe no one has said it….

There’s something about Mary.

Drum roll, rim shot.

I feel sorry that this woman was subjected to such an awful thing, but she has no business suing AMR!

This was night flight. Do we want flight attendants doing “hand checks” like counselors on a junior high church choir tour bus?

Sue the pants off this perv/perp (pun) and pray he’s got more money than Bernie Goetz, but leave the airline alone.

Who wants to play Divinyls fan and the horrified passenger?

I hope they send this pervert to jail for a hundred years. That is something he should have taken care of in the men’s room before boarding. It is hard to achieve a wide stance once you are on the plane.