American Airlines has settled a lawsuit with the family of a teenager from Charlotte who was secretly recorded in an airplane lavatory during a 2023 flight. The incident occurred on a flight from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to Boston Logan International Airport, as reported by WSOC-TV.
The lawsuit, filed by the victim’s parents, alleged that flight attendant Estes Carter Thompson III used his cell phone to record their daughter in the restroom. The family’s attorney described the settlement as “reasonable and proper” and stated it was in the best interest of the minor plaintiff, adequately protecting her interests. Both parties are now seeking federal court approval for the settlement.
Details of the agreement remain confidential. Simple Flying reached out to American Airlines for further comment but received no immediate response.
In September 2023, the 14-year-old discovered an iPhone taped inside a toilet lid after using it. According to her family’s lawsuit, Thompson had directed her to use this particular restroom, claiming another one was damaged. After she exited, he reportedly entered immediately.
“This event has left our daughter — and entire family — shocked and profoundly disturbed,” said the family in a statement covered by WCNC.
Thompson faces multiple felony charges, including possession of child pornography and attempted sexual exploitation of minors. An FBI investigation revealed he had repeatedly placed recording devices in restrooms on flights between January and August 2023. Victims included children aged 7, 9, 11, and 14 years old. Authorities also found hundreds of AI-generated child pornographic images in his iCloud account.
In Texas, American Airlines is dealing with another lawsuit where Thompson allegedly recorded a different child during a January 2023 flight. This case attracted national attention when American Airlines initially suggested that victims should have noticed such devices themselves—a stance they later retracted following public backlash.
Paul Llewellyn, representing both affected girls in Boston-related incidents, criticized this defense: “In what world would it ever be acceptable to blame a 9-year-old for being filmed while using an airplane bathroom?” Llewellyn told WCVB.
An American Airlines spokesperson addressed these issues publicly: “Our outside legal counsel retained with our insurance company made an error in this filing… We do not believe this child is at fault and we take allegations involving a former team member very seriously.”
