Cramped Aussie Traveler Sues American Airlines

An Australian traveler is suing American Airlines, claiming that he suffered injuries after being seated next to two obese passengers for a 14-hour flight. Michael Anthony Taylor, 67, told Sydney's Daily Telegraph he spent most of the trip from Sydney to Los Angeles either "crouching, kneeling, bracing or standing".

He claims the airline wouldn't let him change seats and the awkward positions worsened his scoliosis and caused back injuries and neck bruising, NBC News reported. "I don't hold any malice towards the people in the seats next to me—they'd paid for a ticket too," he told the Telegraph. "The airline could have put me in a crew seat or moved people around, but they did nothing." Reached for comment, American Airlines spokesperson, Ross Feinstein, told NBC News, "We just received the lawsuit and we are reviewing the allegations." The flight occurred on December, 28, 2015, on a 777-300ER, which seats 310. All of the seats were occupied. According to US federal regulations, passengers are not allowed to sit in seats reserved for crew members.