When it comes to air travel, there are people who are completely okay with it and others who have extreme fears and worries. The thought of being in a plane several thousand feet above the air can be terrifying, especially if something goes wrong, however, planes have become quite advanced in the modern era and as long as proper maintenance is performed, there should be no mechanical issues.
That being said, there are a few concerns that you might not be aware of when it comes to traveling. Knowing what these are and knowing your rights will greatly help you should you find yourself in one of these positions.
Here are 3 lesser-known legal concerns that you might encounter while air traveling.
1. Sexual Assault
Sexual assault is one of those scary crimes that can occur almost everywhere. No matter if you are male or female, you might find yourself a victim of sexual assault, especially on an airplane. If you are traveling alone, you might find yourself sitting beside someone or near someone who is continually trying to strike up a conversation with you. While there is no harm in that, it depends on the subject matter of the conversation and what they are doing as well. People can very easily switch a conversation towards one that deals with sex or make unwanted passes at another person.
These are all forms of sexual assault if the other person has made it clear that they are not consenting. What can you do if you find yourself in this sort of situation? Notify a flight attendant immediately; and you may want to consider looking into an airlines sexual assault attorney to help you. Not only can you sue the person who was assaulting you, but you can also hold the airline responsible for not protecting you. Being stuck in a situation like this is never easy and there is nothing that can be done or said to reduce trauma, however you can go and seek justice for your pain.
By getting an attorney and defending yourself, you are not only making a stand for you and your own rights but are also sending a message that this is unacceptable to any potential future violators. If you have found yourself a victim of sexual assault on a plane, you should be calling up an attorney and getting the support that you need.
2. Unlawful Searches
One of the most frequently broken laws regarding airline travel is unlawful searches. The United States Constitution states that in order to search someone, there has to be reasonable suspicion that they are committing a crime. Generally, airlines overstep their boundaries, however, and search people that have not done anything to warrant a search. Where can you witness something like this?
Random checks at airports are rarely random and they often target minorities or people that are stereotyped. The next time you are walking at an airport and see someone chosen for a random search, take a look at their skin color. While this is illegal to do, it is also hard to fight.
Hiring an attorney to support you if you find yourself on the receiving end of an unlawful search that caused damage is important as you are going to need all the legal help that you can get. Airports and airlines will say that they are just carrying out random searches and that it is just standard procedure. You are going to have to show a lot of evidence to change that narrative if you expect to win the case. It might be an uphill battle, but fighting an unlawful search case is still possible, especially if you have an attorney to help you.
3. Compensation for Delayed and Cancelled Flights
You might not know this, but if your flight is heavily delayed, you can find yourself the beneficiary of some compensation. Most airlines will try to hide this and will hope you don’t attempt to claim compensation for the delay, but there are laws in place to protect you should there be any major issues in scheduling. Therefore, while delays and cancellations might be annoying, you should at least be expecting something back for your waiting.
These are three lesser-known legal issues that are associated with air travel. Knowing them and knowing your rights as a passenger is important as it can help you make the most out of the travel time and also make you an experienced flier. If there are any serious issues that come up, try to speak to an employee right away so they can be dealt with swiftly. The last thing you want is to end up sitting beside someone on a plane who makes you uncomfortable. Do you have any major trips or vacations planned?
