The man who filed the suit, James Andres Bassos, claims his existing back condition was exacerbated by the several hours he spent on an Etihad Airways flight from Sydney to Dubai. During the flight, Bassos alleges, he was forced to twist his body to avoid contact with a “grossly overweight,” coughing passenger seated next to him. The airline’s attendants were only able to accommodate Bassos’ request for a seat change for short intervals during the flight.