An American Airlines flight attendant was arrested on Thursday after allegedly using his cellphone to secretly record young females using the bathroom on airplanes he worked on, with the most recent incident occurring on a flight to Boston in September 2023. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said 37-year-old Estes Carter Thompson III of Charlotte, North Carolina was charged with attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor. Thompson is also expected to appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
“The deeply disturbing conduct alleged here is something no parent or child should ever have to worry about when they travel. Mr. Thompson allegedly used his position to prey on and surreptitiously record innocent children, including unaccompanied minors, while in a vulnerable state aboard flights he was working,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy said. “Everyone – especially children – should feel safe and secure as airline passengers, and parents should feel comfortable traveling with their children. Protecting children is a paramount priority for this office, and we will aggressively investigate and hold accountable people who victimize children.”
The DOJ said Thompson was working as a flight attendant on Sept. 2, 2023, onboard an American Airlines flight from Charlotte to Boston when he allegedly attempted to record a 14-year-old female passenger as she used the lavatory on the aircraft. Thompson reportedly escorted her to the first-class lavatory, telling her the main cabin bathroom was occupied. When the girl entered the lavatory, she discovered red stickers on the underside of the toilet seat propped up in the open position, which read “inoperative catering equipment,” “removed from service,” and “seat broken.” These stickers concealed Thompson’s iPhone, which was allegedly used to record the young girl.
The victim took a picture of the stickers and the iPhone before exiting the lavatory. Thompson then allegedly entered the bathroom immediately after. The incident was reported to other flight attendants, who informed the captain. Upon landing in Boston, Thompson was arrested. Law enforcement officials discovered that Thompson’s phone may have been restored to factory settings before his arrest.
Further investigation revealed that Thompson’s iCloud account contained multiple instances of recording minors using airplane lavatories, with victims as young as 7 years old. The account also contained over 50 images of a 9-year-old unaccompanied minor, as well as hundreds of images of AI-generated pornography.
American Airlines stated that they take these allegations seriously and that they have been fully cooperating with law enforcement in the investigation. If convicted, Thompson could face significant prison time, supervised release, fines, and restitution.
The arrest of an American Airlines flight attendant for secretly recording minors in airplane bathrooms highlights the importance of passenger safety and the need to protect children from exploitation. This incident raises concerns about the potential vulnerability of passengers, especially unaccompanied minors, and the responsibility of airline staff to ensure their well-being during flights. The case will be closely watched as it unfolds in federal court, with a potential significant impact on the airline industry and efforts to safeguard passengers, particularly children.
