This story was updated on May 23 to reflect comments made by Laurena Parker’s attorney.
A Citrus County woman is suing Southwest Airlines, claiming staff members of the carrier discriminated against her and violated her civil rights by kicking her off a plane after she refused to move for nearby passengers, one of whom reportedly said they were allergic to her.
Laurena Parker, 71, who is black, says the violations occurred on a December 2017 fight from Nevada to Florida. Her claims are detailed in a lawsuit filed Thursday by Tampa attorney Gilberto Sanchez at the U.S. District Courthouse in Tampa.
The alleged incident occurred Dec. 11, 2017, as Parker was boarding a Southwest flight from Las Vegas to Tampa and noticed an open window seat next to a white couple. The airline has an open seating policy, which means passengers can sit in any seat not already occupied.
After Parker confirmed with a flight attendant that the seat was available, she tried to seat herself, but the white woman in the adjacent seat “started screaming and holding her nose,” saying she was “allergic” to Parker, Parker’s complaint states. The woman then allegedly told Parker she could not sit there and needed to move.
When Parker told her she wasn’t moving, the man next to the protesting woman told Parker to “Shut the (expletive) up and move!” according to the suit.
Called over to intervene, the flight attendant allegedly sided with the couple and denied she ever told Parker she could sit at the open window seat. After Parker objected, the flight attendant went to the cockpit and retrieved the plane’s co-pilot.
“The co-pilot, instead of addressing the abusive Caucasian couple, commenced to lecture plaintiff, in front of all of the other passengers, about the dubious ‘fact’ that certain people are allergic to other people, and that therefore plaintiff should find another seat,” the suit states.
After Parker, who is a retired probation officer, hesitated to move, the pilot, co-pilot and security escorted her off the plane.
“Throughout this episode, plaintiff was treated as if she was the wrongdoer and a pariah,” the suit states. “As a result of this bizarre, hostile and racially-charged event, plaintiff was humiliated … caused to be in shock and disbelief, and was reduced to tears.
“Southwest’s crew enflamed the situation by choosing to support and comfort an obviously racist couple instead of aiding the victim of the apparent abuse.”
Southwest representatives met with Parker after she had been escorted off the flight and told her she could return back onboard after a discussion, but apology was given, Sanchez said.
Sanchez said he’s unaware of any video evidence of the incident taken by flight passengers, but added there are numerous witnesses who saw it.
“It’s an unfortunate situation that Southwest Airlines didn’t protect Ms. Parker,” Sanchez said.
Parker is seeking unspecified damages for her allegations.
A Southwest spokesperson said the airline would not comment on pending litigation.
