By Gabrielle Banks | on May 11, 2018

A Nigerian passenger has filed a civil rights lawsuit alleging that United Airlines personnel ejected her and her children from an international flight departing from Houston in 2016 because of her “pungent” odor.

The woman says in a federal discrimination suit filed in Houston Friday that she and her minor children were boarding a San Francisco bound plane — the second leg of a three-flight journey from Nigeria to Canada — when an incident occurred involving a white male passenger that escalated to her being asked by United staff to exit the plane. They eventually made their connection after a five-hour delay.


United Airlines representatives said they would not comment.

“We have not yet been served with this suit and due to the pending litigation involved in this matter, we’re unable to provide further comment,” spokesman for the airline said, in a emailed statement.

An attorney for the woman also could not be reached for comments.

According to court documents, Queen Obioma, a frequent flier member on the United’s Star Alliance was traveling from Lagos, Nigeria to Ontario, Canada in March 4, 2016 where her children were going to school.

During a flight change in Bush Intercontinental Airport, Obioma arrived at her row in business class to find a white passenger sitting in her assigned seat. He refused to relocate, according to the lawsuit. The flight staff attempted to resolve the conflict, but the man persisted and Obioma agreed to take his seat nearby.

Prior to takeoff, she returned from visiting the restroom and the same male passenger tried to block her access to the seat for several minutes, according to the charges. She says a United staffer named in documents as Russel H. ordered her to step off the plane, where she was told by another United agent that the pilot had asked her to exit the plane based on a complaint from the white man sitting near her her, according to the lawsuit.

Obioma says in the lawsuit that she was informed that the business class passenger was not comfortable flying with her because she was “pungent” and informed that she could not return to the plane. Distraught, the woman explained that her children were still on board. United agents removed the children from the flight as well, and they made their connection five hours later.

Obioma says United discriminated against her because she is black, African and Nigerian. She is seeking punitive damages and attorney’s fees.

Cc: lalasticlala, mynd44

https://www.sfgate.com/nation/amp/Nigerian-passenger-in-Houston-says-United-12908304.php

https://www.yahoo.com/amphtml/news/woman-kicked-off-united-flight-032438798.html

Na wah o

Sue their white racist asses... Imagine d concobility.. She's even a frequent flyer sef and jus because a white man complained and she's black, voila!! She's off d plane

slyfoxxjoe:
the fact she is a frequent flyer with them and this is the first time she is experiencing this sort of thing should tell you it's not about racism. Why don't we Nigerians ever consider that we may be at fault? Maybe she did really stink..

So it was her smell dat made d white man occupy her seat also abi? Sometimes let's get our heads out of our asses before reasoning.. He was already seated on her seat before she even came in which means dey gave out her seat. Did he perceive d smell from his home and den decide to com occupy her seat? He was already assigned her seat. Did d man perceive d "pungent" smell from her ticket? D airline assigned her seat to d white man even before dey perceived d smell.. Either she was wearing designer fragrance OKPEI by D&G (Deji and Gbadabo) or she had OGIRI by CHRISTIANa DIORa or both d white man and d airline have supernatural powers dat sniffs from d Internet..

and na them smell pass o

Nbote:
Sue their white racist asses... Imagine d concobility.. She's even a frequent flyer sef and jus because a white man complained and she's black, voila!! She's off d plane

the fact she is a frequent flyer with them and this is the first time she is experiencing this sort of thing should tell you it's not about racism. Why don't we Nigerians ever consider that we may be at fault? Maybe she did really stink..

Interesting

slyfoxxjoe:
the fact she is a frequent flyer with them and this is the first time she is experiencing this sort of thing should tell you it's not about racism. Why don't we Nigerians ever consider that we may be at fault? Maybe she did really stink..

I wasn't there so I can only go by my own experience.

I simply cannot believe that the event occurred as stated. She's a Woman and one that is travelling with children. Most Air Hostesses are Women. I just do not see a female air hostess siding with a male against a mother with children unless the situation was dire.

I also believe that it will take the Captains involvement to get her bounced and not just an air hostess.

The Airline will settle out of court.

Prior to takeoff, she returned from visiting the restroom and the same male passenger tried to block her access to the seat for several minutes, according to the charges

Must everything be about racism?; the woman probably had pooed on herself

Is body odour not an offence on US soil?

What is the meaning of all these contraption??

She can actually make money from this!

I no use Cologne again!

Sue their fucking ass and make that money
Is it their body odour ni

Its racism. Trust me when a say this. They think because you are African you smell a certain way. Why was he sitting in her sit in the first place?. And you think a woman flying in business class does not know how she smells. That man is racist . We see subtle things like that all the time. You can't pinpoint it but you feel it. And getting kick out for smell? Hmm I laugh . Why not change sits if it bothers you so much.

loomer:
and na them smell pass o

Oversmell worry most of them...Awon smellos.

God can use anything to make a way for you..... Stop despising your buts!

Truth be told some Africans stink. I hear Caucasians and African Americans say it all the time. There is a distinct smell that just oozes out of some African women and men, same with Garlic smell from Indians and onion smell from Hispanics.

White people have their own smell . its the rotten bacon smell God help you if you have to use the bathroom after a Caucasian male or female.

Is a pungent smell in of course a pressurized plane enough grounds for ejection?
Interesting case for both sides of the aisle in a favorable court

Eat right, invest in cologne/perfume, floss and use mouth wash, do not wear the same clothes you use in cooking your egusi and okporoko out and these kinda shoot won't happen

That's insulting.

Is body odour an offense in the US

Lol so funny.

This cannot happen if your children school in Naija.

Patapata, they will drive the body odour away with better air freshener and smile while collecting your money.

Congrats to the woman.

Reminds me of a former classmate who was delayed in Zenith Bank because he looked suspicious. He got an NGO to sue Zenith and the matter was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount but it was in millions. Dude became a big boy overnight.

Head or tail, that airline is gonna lose. Even if they are right legally and the facts favour them, they would want this matter to die down as soon as possible due to negative publicity it would bring. They don't want to lose their African and coloured flyers due to the sentiments attached.

They are already negotiating heavy dollars settlement and that's why even the woman's lawyers refused to talk.

better.

I agree with you 100 percent . Something is not right in the story. The fact that she calms that he sat on her seat and would not budge and she sat somewhere else cannot be true in my experience.

EgunMogaji:


I wasn't there so I can only go by my own experience.

I simply cannot believe that the event occurred as stated. She's a Woman and one that is travelling with children. Most Air Hostesses are Women. I just do not see a female air hostess siding with a male against a mother with children unless the situation was dire.

I also believe that it will take the Captains involvement to get her bounced and not just an air hostess.

The Airline will settle out of court.

Z

After una go de blame yahoo boys, did anyone read the comments on a post by these white people pertaining that jcole show, they were even mocking us that we can't afford school, but we affording shows and I phones....make dem no worry,dem go hear word,












Anyway ,good news is, now loading any local Yankee bank, uber cc, wlamart or any cc ,instant reflecting, even that broke client can make you blow

If she ve odour, then the airline is right cus if i was d white guy i we do dsame too