A veteran flight attendant claims she was groped and poked by a female Transportation Security Administration security officer at a Newark Airport gate – and now she wants the feds to pay.
Victoria Coulter, a 30-year vet at American Airlines, said the inspection by Patricia Lamb was “physically invasive, abusive and harassing,” according to court papers.
“This is really serious, and something that needs to be addressed,” said Coulter, 55, who filed a lawsuit for an unspecified amount Tuesday in Newark federal court against Lamb and the Department of Homeland Security.
Lamb suffered the “nightmare” frisking before a flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico, this past Nov. 20.
“I want every single person getting on an airplane to be searched, but there needs to be uniformity in how it’s done,” she said.
Lamb could not be reached for comment. The TSA sent Coulter a letter in May, saying it was unable to substantiate her claims but was sorry for any “inconvenience.” The agency said it could not comment.