• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

2

Meet a 71-year-old who retired as a radiologist and professor, and now runs a banana-skewer business: ‘I never want to retire. Why would you do that?’

3

Hilton received 12,000 Gen Z applications for just 72 internship spots—its CHRO says AI has made the hospitality gigs more competitive

1

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

2

Meet a 71-year-old who retired as a radiologist and professor, and now runs a banana-skewer business: ‘I never want to retire. Why would you do that?’

3

Hilton received 12,000 Gen Z applications for just 72 internship spots—its CHRO says AI has made the hospitality gigs more competitive

United Airlines Says It Didn’t Make a Woman Pee in a Cup on Her Flight

By
Madeline Farber
Madeline Farber
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Madeline Farber
Madeline Farber
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 11, 2017, 9:45 AM ET
Google source logo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

This story has been updated to reflect comment from United Airlines.

Another day, another United Airlines scandal.

A Missouri woman flying on a Mesa Airlines flight from Houston to Kansas City, Mo., claims the flight attendants wouldn’t let her use the restroom, and, as a result, she had to use cups to urinate into instead. Mesa Airlines is a regional U.S. carrier that has operated as United Express for over 20 years, according to the Washington Post.

The woman, whose name is Nicole Harper, first wrote about her experience on the flight in a lengthly Facebook post.

About 30 minutes in to her flight she had the sudden urge to urinate, caused by her overactive bladder, she told the local news station KCTV News. When she attempted to stand up to go to the restroom, a flight attendant reportedly told her to sit down because the pilot was expecting turbulence. She said she responded by saying she would need a cup to relieve herself and then was given two cups, which she filled. She was then escorted to the bathroom to empty them, she told the network.

“The flight attendants treated me like I had committed a crime, stating they would be filing a report, calling in the hazmat team to clean the entire row (let me mention there was no mess involved) and told me I would need to talk with the pilot after the flight,” she wrote in her post.

But United is denying that the flight attendants told her to urinate in a cup as opposed to using the restroom.

In an email, a United spokesperson told Fortune that the airline is further investigating the incident, and has reached out to both Harper to better understand what happened. United also said Harper attempted to use the restroom during the aircraft’s descent, not in the first 30 minutes of the flight.

“At no point was Ms. Harper told to use the cups instead of the lavatory,” the spokesperson said. “Customer safety is always our first priority. Initial reports from the Mesa Airlines flight attendants indicate that Ms. Harper attempted to visit the lavatory on descent and was instructed to remain seated with the seat belt fastened per FAA regulations. At no point during the flight did flight attendants suggest that Ms. Harper use cups instead of the lavatory.”

Harper claims the incident took place on the same day a man named David Dao was forcibly removed from a different flight operated by United Airlines.

About the Author
By Madeline Farber
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.