Two JetBlue Flight Attendants Say Pilots Drugged, Raped Them During Layover: Lawsuit
Two female flight crew members are suing JetBlue and two JetBlue pilots for allegedly drugging and raping them during a layover in San Juan, Puerto Rico last year.
The two women filed suit in a federal court in New York. According to the complaint obtained by PEOPLE, the two women allege that the two pilots met up with three female flight attendants on the beach on May 9 of last year. The women — only two of whom are involved in the suit — allege that the pilots offered them drinks.
“After some time, [Defendant #1] handed an opened beer from his lunch box to Plaintiff Jane Doe # 1,” the complaint reads. “She drank some of the beer, handed it to Doe #2 who drank some of the beer, and then handed it to the other crew member, who also drank from the same can.”
“The beer was laced with a drug, and after that point, the rest of the night became a blur for Doe # 1, Doe # 2 and the other crew member,” the complaint alleges. At some point, the two pilots and the three crew members allegedly went to a hotel, the complaint alleges.
“Plaintiff, in a haze from being drugged, next became aware that she was in bed with [Defendant #1] and her fellow crew member,” the complaint alleges. “The Defendant was on top of Plaintiff raping her.”
“The Plaintiff felt the influence of the drug that the defendant laced the beer with,” the complaint alleges, “and Plaintiff was unable to react to the situation, but was simply aware that it was happening. Plaintiff’s flashes of memory included the Defendant having sexual intercourse with the other crewmember who was also under the influence of the drugs. The Defendant also said, ‘thank you for making my fantasy come true.'”
After flying home to Utah, Jane Doe #1 allegedly tested positive for the human papillomavirus (HPV), “which she could only have contracted from defendant,” the suit alleges.
The lawsuit claims that Jane Doe #1 contacted JetBlue about the alleged incident, but the airline took no action against the pilots.
In a statement to NBC News, JetBlue said it “takes allegations of violent or inappropriate behavior very seriously and investigates such claims thoroughly.” The airline offered no further comment, citing the pending litigation.
The two women are suing for at least $75,000 each in damages plus attorney’s fees and costs, according to the The New York Post.
An attorney for the Plaintiffs did not immediately return PEOPLE’s calls for comment, but called the airline’s behavior “appalling” in an interview with Fox News.
“What happened to my clients is truly horrific, and JetBlue’s failure to take corrective action is appalling,” said attorney Abraham Z. Melamed of Derek Smith Law Group. “I am hopeful that the courage of my clients will bring about some real change and inspire others who have been silenced to come forward.”
It is unclear who is representing the two pilots, who have each been sued personally.
