Passenger sues American Airlines for implicating him in burglary

American Airlines provided Lowe's details regarding a burglary in DFW duty free. Photo / Unsplash, Donna White

A passenger is taking American Airlines to court after the carrier provided his details to police regarding a robbery.

Michael Lowe spent 17 days in a New Mexico jail after he alleges the airline wrongly identified him to police as a shoplifter. Lowe was arrested on vacation in New Mexico, a year after the incident, on a warrant he claimed to have no prior knowledge of, for a crime he claims not to have committed.

The traveller was accused of shoplifting from the Dallas Fort Worth Airport duty free in May 2020. Lowe had been travelling through the airport at the time and boarded an American Airlines plane, after the duty free was "burglarized", according to The Fort Worth Star Telegram.

Airport police obtained a warrant order asking the airline to supply passenger details for the flight. According to the lawsuit submitted by Lowe he was the only traveller whose details were shared.

The arrest warrant was issued after Lowe failed to turn up to court, however he said he never received the summons.

He was detained for eight days before being taken to a local judge. Lowe was told that he was facing extradition to Texas from New Mexico, which he refused. He was returned to the detention centre in Quay County, New Mexico for a further seven days before he was pardoned.

Officials later dismissed the charges against Lowe, after police mugshots were compared with surveillance footage from the burglary.

According to his lawsuit, Lowe says he was not informed of the charges until after his release.

The lawsuit says Lowe feared catching Covid-19 in the facility and in a "constant state of fear of confrontation or abuse."

He is seeking damages and accuses American Airlines of negligence for allegedly identifying Lowe to authorities.

In a statement to USA Today, the American Airlines said it "cooperates with and responds to court orders for information related to possible criminal activity, and that's what we did in this instance when we were presented with a search warrant."