ATLANTA — A passenger is filing a lawsuit against Delta Air Lines after he claims a flight attendant slapped him.
Mohammad Shibli and his attorneys held a news conference Tuesday morning, announcing that they intend to file a lawsuit against the Atlanta-based airline.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Shibli, a Palestinian Muslim, says he was flying from Atlanta to Fresno, California, on July 29 when a flight attendant denied him water upon asking and, ultimately, slapped him with an open palm.
Ali Awad, Shibli’s attorney, says they plan to issue a formal demand letter to Delta this week.
Awad says the slap happened in front of a full plane and Shibli’s 4-year-old son.
They are calling for all Delta employees to receive education and sensitivity training on Palestine and the Palestinian people. They also say that Shibli should receive a day’s worth of profits from the airline.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Powerball drawing: $1 million ticket sold in Georgia
- ‘Slutty Vegan’ owner owes $87,000 in back rent, lawsuit claims
- ‘Power’ actress arrested, charged with disorderly conduct, cruelty to children in DeKalb
Delta issued a statement to Channel 2 Action News saying it is conducting an internal investigation and the flight attendant involved has been suspended.
“As the safety and security of our customers and employees comes before all else, Delta launched an immediate internal investigation into this incident. While Delta does not comment on internal investigations or pending litigation, we are taking this situation very seriously. This flight attendant has been suspended while the investigation is ongoing.”
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
