Nicole Harper, United passenger, claims airline forced her to urinate in a cup: Report

The Kansas City Star is reporting that a local nurse claims United Airlines forced her to urinate in a cup during a flight in April, forbidding her to get out of her seat to use the lavatory when the seatbelt light was illuminated.

“Nicole Harper posted her account early Saturday on Facebook after, she says, she became frustrated at her inability to get anyone at United Airlines to acknowledge her complaint,” reported the Star on Tuesday.

Ms. Harper, an emergency-room nurse, claims this incident occurred on April 9, the same day that Louisville physician David Dao was manhandled by security in Chicago for refusing to deplane. Dr. Dao subsequently sued the airline, which settled the dispute out of court in late April for an undisclosed sum.

“After explaining that I have an overactive bladder and would either need to use the restroom or pee in a cup, I was handed a cup by flight attendants,” Ms. Harper wrote on Facebook, the Star reported.

“I was thinking I was on candid camera or being punked at this point,” she said in an interview with KCTV of Kansas City, adding that one flight attendant loudly berated her to other passengers before ordering her to dump out the urine-filled drinking cups in the plane lavatory.

“She was basically reprimanding me and talking down to me through the aisle with other people listening,” Ms. Harper said, reported KCTV.

“You would think peeing in a cup on an airplane in front of my family and strangers would be the worst part of this story. But the way I was treated by flight attendants afterwards was worse.”

Ms. Harper is only now complaining publicly after being dissatisfied with United’s customer service department, the Star said.

For its part, United said in a statement that “Initial reports from our flight attendants indicate that Ms. Harper attempted to visit the lavatory on final descent and was instructed to remain seated with the seat belt fastened per FAA regulations.

“The situation described by Ms. Harper and our employees is upsetting for all involved. We have reached out to Ms. Harper and our flying partner Mesa Airlines to better understand what occurred,” the airline added, according to the Star.

In a Facebook post Tuesday evening, Ms. Harper rejected United’s claim that the incident occurred during final descent into Kansas City.

“United Airlines lied about reaching out to me, I attempted to reach them multiple times over the past 2 weeks and was repetitively told customer service would not take my call. They also lied about the incident happening during the descent… this all happened mid flight, while flight attendants were providing drink service,” she wrote.

Ms. Harper went on to praise the power of both local news media and social media to effect change. 

“It is ironic, however that I did get a call from an executive customer service representative at United Airlines as soon as my stories aired. Power to social media and local news media! Thanks to everyone who shared my story and helped make a difference, as little as it may be it is powerful!!”