A Sun Country Airlines flight attendant is facing an assault charge after a Black mother said a dispute over airplane seating spiraled into a humiliating confrontation involving alleged racially charged comments, security and a later clash over a cellphone.
Lauren Price said she was traveling Monday morning from Minneapolis to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport with her girls’ flag football team, DMV Prime Elite, after the group competed in the Junior Olympics in Iowa.
Price said she had booked 19 seats for the group, but only 17 were being used because two travelers did not make the trip.
She decided to sit in one of the unused seats so some of the girls could sit together, something she said had been allowed on earlier flights during the trip.
That is when the situation allegedly took a dramatic turn.
Price said flight attendant Jean Riegelman ordered her to return to her assigned seat. She said she was trying to comply when Riegelman allegedly began berating her in front of the cabin.
“Before I could even just get to the row in front of me, Jean began just berating me,” Price told CBS News Baltimore.
Price claimed Riegelman told her, “If you people would sit in your right seat, we would be able to push back, because of you 186 people we’re delayed.”
Price, who is Black, said she believed the comment was racially motivated.
She told the flight attendant to stop addressing the group that way, and her father also intervened.
According to Price, Riegelman responded that she could do whatever she wanted.
Another flight attendant later apologized for Riegelman’s behavior, Price said, but told her that Riegelman would not be taken off the flight.
Instead, security was called.
Price and her father were removed from the plane while the rest of the football team and Price’s family remained onboard.
Her two children were among those left on the aircraft, and Price said they became deeply upset as the confrontation unfolded.
“We all were violated,” she said.
Price described the ordeal as a humiliating and degrading end to a trip that was supposed to celebrate the team’s experience at the Junior Olympics.
After being removed from the flight, Price said she was not allowed to get back onboard.
She ultimately purchased a ticket on another airline for about $500.
Price said Sun Country employees at the airport apologized and told her a refund would be processed, although as of Wednesday afternoon she said she had not received additional information about it.
The allegations continued after the plane took off.
Price said members of the flag football team claimed Riegelman avoided serving them during the flight.
According to Price, the flight attendant switched with another crew member because she allegedly did not want to “go back there with them.”
Then came the encounter that resulted in a criminal charge.
After the aircraft landed, Price said her sister attempted to record Riegelman while passengers were getting off the plane.
According to charging documents obtained by WJZ, Riegelman allegedly tried to knock the phone from the woman’s hand.
“She tried to smack the phone out of her hand and hit her hand, which is assault,” Price said.
Riegelman has now been charged with second-degree assault in Anne Arundel County.
She is scheduled to appear in court in September.
The story has since exploded across social media, with Price’s account receiving more than 2 million views.
Price said some members of the girls’ team were so shaken by the experience that they no longer want to fly with Sun Country.
She also claimed the airline did not contact her until after her social media post began attracting widespread attention.
“Sun Country probably would have never held themselves accountable, and they probably would have never responded to me had I not taken the avenues that I did,” Price said.
She said other social media users have since contacted her with their own negative allegations involving Riegelman, although those claims have not been independently verified.
Price said her team filed multiple complaints with Sun Country.
She has also filed complaints with the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Sun Country said it is investigating.
“Sun Country Airlines takes reports like this very seriously,” the carrier said in a statement. “We have been in conversation with the passenger and are working to get all details surrounding the situation.”
Sun Country Airlines was acquired by Allegiant Travel Company in May 2026.
CBS News Baltimore said it contacted Riegelman for comment but had not received a response.
Why do blacks always create chaos everywhere. They always start shit and then conveniently become “victims”.
Sounds like a total F***up on both sides. The Flight Attendant for trying to move the lady, if the team had paid for the seat she was sitting in & a very Poor choice of words, If it was Not for Racial reasons. And the “Victims” put off the plane for assuming Automatically that it was. That instantly makes a confrontation worse. As for the Assault charge. That’s 100% on the Flight Attendant. Some people only learn the hard way, to keep their “Peter Beaters” to themselves.
Ridiculous.