Lawsuit alleges United Airlines kicked off wrong Asian woman after flight delay

An Asian woman is suing United Airlines, claiming she was wrongfully removed from a flight after being mistaken for another Asian passenger seated several rows away. The lawsuit accuses the airline of racial profiling and negligent conduct that caused lasting emotional harm.

The incident occurred on August 29, 2024, aboard United Flight UA1627 from Las Vegas to Washington, D.C. Severe weather forced the flight to divert to Baltimore/Washington International Airport, where passengers remained on the tarmac for an extended delay.

During that time, a male passenger began experiencing a medical emergency, according to PYOK. Christine Kim, one of the plaintiffs and a real estate professional, questioned a flight attendant’s decision to dismiss the man’s symptoms as a panic attack. The lawsuit describes the crew member’s response as “snarky.” Passengers were eventually allowed to deplane and wait in the terminal.

As passengers began reboarding an hour later, Jacquelyn Chiao, Kim’s business partner and a fellow plaintiff, was stopped at the gate and told she could not return to the flight due to an earlier incident. Chiao, who had remained seated during the entire delay and had been quietly reading her Kindle, says in the lawsuit that she had no involvement in the exchange with the crew.

The plaintiffs allege that Chiao was misidentified based solely on her ethnicity, despite being seated seven rows away from Kim at the time of the incident. Three co-workers stood by Chiao, and as a result, all four women were barred from reboarding, escorted out of the airport by police. They were left to make their own travel arrangements home.

The complaint, filed in March 2025 in the District of Maryland, accuses United of racial discrimination and negligent infliction of emotional distress. It seeks both compensatory and punitive damages.

United reportedly claimed that one of the women had physically pushed a flight attendant, an allegation the plaintiffs deny. The complaint cites multiple witnesses, including an off-duty United employee who allegedly observed the incident. That witness has not been named, citing fear of retaliation.

United has filed a motion to dismiss and the court has allowed the plaintiffs to amend their complaint.