Palestinian American Demands $20 Million From Delta Airlines, Claims Flight Attendant Slapped Him On Flight

A Delta Air Lines passenger, Mohammad Shibli, is seeking $20 million in damages, claiming a flight attendant assaulted him on a flight from Atlanta to Fresno, California. According to the New York Post, Mohammad Shibli, his wife, and their two young sons, aged 4 and 2, were on a Delta flight from Atlanta to Fresno on July 29 when the incident occurred. According to Mr Shibli and his legal team, the youngest child began crying for water during the flight. When Mr Shibli's wife requested water from a flight attendant, she was met with refusal.

He then approached the attendant at the back of the plane to ask for water, but was allegedly refused again, with the attendant using a "very disrespectful tone."

The family eventually got water from other attendants, who apologised for their coworker's behaviour. However, the situation escalated when the same attendant later returned to offer Mr Shibli water. He declined her service and asked to be left alone.

However, the attendant bumped into him and whispered a vulgar word in his ear. Mr Shibli retaliated with curse words, but claimed he was defending himself after feeling berated in front of his son. The attendant then took a few steps toward him and struck his face with "open palm as hard as she could."

Meanwhile, the attendant allegedly acted like nothing happened and continued serving other passengers. Other attendants eventually intervened, telling the agitated attendant to sit in the back of the plane. 

Despite the alleged assault, Mr Shibli claims he remained calm and didn't react. The incident has sparked outrage, with his legal team seeking damages from Delta Air Lines.

"I was trapped on that plane for almost four hours. It was painful and embarrassing. As a father, I looked helpless in front of my son. As a husband, I was humiliated. And as a passenger, I feared for the safety and security of myself and for my family. Nobody should ever experience physical abuse like this, especially on a plane mid-air," Mr Shibli told reporters. 

Mr Shibli's lawyer, Ali Awad, alleged that the incident was sparked by discriminatory behaviour towards Shibli's wife, whose shirt had the word "Palestine" on it. Mr Awad drew parallels to a previous incident last July, where Delta flight attendants wore Palestinian flag pins, which were misidentified as "Hamas badges" on social media. The airline responded to the backlash, but Mr Awad claimed this incident highlighted a pattern of discrimination by the airline against Palestinians.

When a @Delta employee smacked a Palestinian Muslim man in front of his 4-year-old child and a plane full of passengers, I couldn't believe it.

But then multiple witnesses came forward, and we discovered that Delta has a history of:

1) Discrimination against Palestinians
2)…

— ceolawyer (@ceolawyer) August 26, 2025

"Every Delta employee in the company must get education and sensitivity training on Palestine. Delta ruined my client's day, and Delta, we demand a day of your profits," the lawyer said. 

Delta Air Lines confirmed to local outlet 11Alive that the flight attendant involved in the alleged incident has been suspended pending an internal investigation.