It was shortly before 10 p.m. on June 16 when Aubrey Lane boarded American Airlines Flight 1280 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, eager to meet up with family in New York for what she described as a bucket-list trip.
Several hours into the red-eye flight, she got up to use the bathroom.
There, Lane said she was trapped in the lavatory and raped by a noticeably intoxicated man who'd been sitting next to her during the flight.
The following hours were a blur of trauma and confusion, Lane said, as she was moved to a seat toward the back of the plane, met by police officers when she got off the plane at JFK International Airport and then transported to a nearby hospital.
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In a statement Thursday to NBC 5, American Airlines said:
"We want all of our customers to have a safe, positive travel experience with us and we are deeply troubled by any allegation of misconduct onboard our aircraft or at any of our facilities. Our crew contacted law enforcement, who met the aircraft upon arrival at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. As this is still an on-going investigation, you will have to contact the FBI for any additional details.
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"However, we should have followed up immediately afterward with Ms. Lane to assure her how seriously we were taking her claims. It is important to note that the way we work with our customers after an incident like Ms. Lane's has changed over the past few months. If this incident happened today, Ms. Lane would have received a call from our customer relations team making sure that we were providing her with the best possible care during this difficult time.
"We're continually focused on improving our customers' experience and this is a positive change we have made in the last few months."
