A Brazilian woman who went viral after refusing to give up her pre-booked window seat to a crying child is now suing both the airline and the passenger who filmed the incident.
Jeniffer Castro, a 29-year-old bank employee from Belo Horizonte, found herself thrust into the spotlight in December following an in-flight disagreement that quickly escalated into an online firestorm.
A video of the encounter—recorded not by the child’s mother, as many initially believed, but by another passenger—spread rapidly across social media, sparking widespread criticism and public shaming.
Despite the backlash, Castro’s social media following skyrocketed, gaining her 2.1 million Instagram followers and several influencer deals. However, she has since decided to take legal action, filing a lawsuit against GOL Airlines for emotional distress and reputational damage. She also filed a separate suit against the passenger who recorded and posted the video online.
Citing “judicial secrecy,” Castro declined to reveal the amount of damages she is seeking, emphasizing that her goal is not only personal compensation but also to prevent similar cases of public humiliation and privacy violations.
“Since that incident, my life has taken a turn I could never have imagined,” Castro said.
“What should have been just an ordinary flight turned into an extremely embarrassing situation, exposing me unfairly and causing consequences that affected both my personal and professional life.”
“I was the target of judgments, attacks, and speculation from people who don’t even know the full story.”
According to Castro, the issue began during boarding when she found a child occupying the window seat she had pre-selected. Since she had paid for that specific seat, she expected the child to move to another available one.
“I waited for him to correctly accommodate himself in another seat, and then I sat down in my seat,” she recalled.
She said the situation escalated when another passenger—unrelated to the child—began filming her without permission.
“Throughout the flight, the child cried a lot, which, although uncomfortable, is understandable when traveling,” she said.
“What surprised me was the fact that a person who had nothing to do with the situation started filming me without permission, insulting me and trying to publicly embarrass me simply because I didn’t want to change seats.”
The video’s circulation online led to intense criticism, which Castro says deeply affected both her mental health and career.
“My reaction was complete shock,” she said. “I never imagined that something so simple could take on such proportions.”
“Professionally, my life has changed a lot, so much so that today I am no longer in the field I worked in before,” she added.
“I was a banker. In my personal life, at the height of the repercussions, I practically didn’t leave the house.”
“In addition to the emotional impact, I was also afraid, because we know that, unfortunately, there are many bad people in the world.”
Frustrated by the public backlash and violation of her privacy, Castro decided to take the matter to court.
“I decided to sue the airline because what happened to me was a huge embarrassment, and this situation should never have reached this point,” she said.
“No one deserves to go through what I went through, being filmed, insulted, and attacked just for exercising a basic right.”
“This lawsuit is not just about reparations, but also about setting a limit on this type of behavior.”
“We all have rights, and they must be respected, regardless of other people’s opinions.”
She added that her legal team has gathered all necessary evidence.
“We gathered all the necessary evidence and took the appropriate measures against whoever filmed me,” she explained.
“There is no action against the child’s mother, only against those who violated my privacy.”
Despite the controversy, Castro remains firm in her belief that she had every right to stay in the seat she booked.
“Each person has their own opinion, and I respect that,” she said.
“I believe that we live in a society where thinking differently is natural and healthy, as long as there is respect.”
“What makes everything more complicated is when people judge or attack without knowing all the details of the situation.”
She hopes her lawsuit will help set a precedent for protecting personal rights and preventing future cases of online shaming.
“I believe that we should respect people’s choices and decisions, especially when they are within their rights,” she said.
“It’s essential to normalize ‘no’ and understand that no one should be forced to justify something they simply don’t want to do.”
“We live in a society where ‘no’ is often seen as rude or selfish, but this needs to change.”
“Each person has their own reasons, preferences, and limits, and all of this must be respected without judgment.”
As she awaits the outcome of her case, Castro says she is focused on reclaiming her privacy and advocating for the right to say no without fear of public humiliation.
“Seeking redress is not only about justice, but also about holding accountable those who inappropriately exposed my image and ensuring that this type of situation does not happen again to other people.”
GOL Airlines declined to comment on the matter.
