Houston, we have a problem. A 73-year-old man who was injured by a United Airlines employee at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport is suing the airline for $1 million.
The incident, which occurred in 2015, involved passenger Ronald Tigner and United customer service rep, Alejandro Anastasia. Tigner was 71 at the time. In the video footage, released Wednesday and provided by Houston’s KPRC 2, the two men can be seen arguing in front of the ticket counter. Anastasia then shoves the elderly man, knocking him flat on his back and rendering him unconscious.
Tigner is ignored for 50 seconds before another customer — who happened to be a nurse — steps in and asks the airline to call 9-1-1. An employee known as Chris makes the call but says Tigner “[had] fallen down” — not that he was pushed. Tigner was then rushed to the hospital for a “closed head injury.”
Tigner’s lawyer told KPRC 2 that the altercation arose when Tigner requested a new boarding pass. Anastasia reportedly laughed at the man’s request and told him he was busy. Tigner told Anastasia to “Wipe that smile off [his] face,” and the employee threatened to “kick [his] f—ing a–.”
Now, Tigner is suing United for more than $1 million to cover medical costs from the incident. Tigner claims in his lawsuit that he still suffers from “concussion-like symptoms.”
As for Anastasia, he was fired and later charged with a felony count of “injury to an elderly individual.” United strongly condemned Anastasia’s actions, and in a statement provided to Houston’s KPRC 2, wrote, “We have seen the video from 2015 that shows completely unacceptable behavior by a United employee. This employee is no longer with our company.” United also said it plans to “profusely apologize” to Tigner.
Watch the video above.