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Beauty queen sues United Airlines after she was 'handcuffed mid-flight'

A former beauty queen has begun legal proceedings after she was allegedly handcuffed while on a flight.

Miss Venezuela 1984 claims that she was restrained in zip-ties and taken to the back of the plane.

Carmen Maria Montiel claims she was in the midst of an argument with her now former partner.

The now-54-year-old claims that her ex-husband, Alex Lechin, slapped her when she used his shoulder to try to get some sleep.

He then told a flight steward, Samuel Oliver, that Montiel was 'invading his personal space.' She claims she had not been drinking and
did not assault the United employee, who claimed he felt threatened. While on-board the overnight flight from Houston to Colombia, she was moved to another section of First Class. When Lechin complained Montiel was still bothering her she was moved to economy class. The woman, who weighed just 8.5 stone, was taken by two men to the back of the plane where she had to sit next to an off-duty police officer.
'It's about the culture of United,' Montiel told the NYPost. 'They treat the customer as the enemy.'

After the flight in June 2013 she was taken to court but found not guilty of interference with a flight attendant.

After seeing viral footage of Dr Dao being taken off the plane, she said she decided to speak out.

She is now seeking damages from United for mental anguish, malicious prosecution and defamation.
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