Delta Airlines and human trafficking? $2.35M lawsuit over false claim

A routine family trip turned into a harrowing legal battle for Madison Cupp, who is now suing Delta Air Lines and its subsidiary, Endeavor Air, for $2.35 million. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, alleges that airline employees wrongly suspected her father of human trafficking during a 2019 flight, leading to a traumatic encounter with law enforcement.

The incident occurred in December 2019 while the then-13-year-old was traveling from Atlanta to Newport News, Virginia, with her parents and grandparents. According to the complaint, the aircraft hit turbulence, causing a frightened Madison to cry. Her father, Nicholas Cupp, sat beside her to comfort his daughter, an action the lawsuit asserts was completely misunderstood by a flight attendant. The crew member allegedly concluded the father was trafficking his own child and reported him for inappropriate touching, News.Az reports, citing USA Today.

Instead of verifying the situation, the lawsuit claims Delta’s station manager in Newport News bypassed any effort to confirm the truth and immediately alerted the police. When the plane landed, the family was met by armed law enforcement officers. They were separated without warning, and both the father and daughter were interrogated. Ultimately, authorities determined there was no probable cause to charge or arrest Nicholas Cupp, confirming the family’s assertion that no abuse or harm had occurred.

Now an adult, Madison Cupp is seeking damages for negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and false imprisonment. She alleges the incident caused her severe emotional trauma, including physical symptoms like vomiting and a lingering fear of interacting with her father in public settings.

This legal action follows years of litigation initiated by her father. Earlier this spring, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that claims against the airlines could proceed, determining that the companies were not immune from prosecution in this matter. Madison filed her separate case last December, and Delta has since filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit as of June 3.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada