Passengers of Alaska Airlines are taking legal action against Boeing following a recent incident involving a domestic flight. The incident occurred last week and involved a door-plug, a panel of the fuselage near the rear of the aircraft, blowing out mid-air.
The lawsuit, filed in the Superior Court of Washington for King County, lists seven plaintiffs and is the first legal response to the incident. The incident occurred on January 5th as flight 1282 was departing from Portland, Oregon, bound for Ontario, California, at 16,000 feet.
The aircraft made an emergency landing back at the departure airport after the blowout, which resulted in the plane depressurizing. This caused items, including a shirt and iPhones, to be sucked out of the aircraft. While some passengers sustained injuries such as bleeding ears, bruises, and headaches, they were medically cleared after evaluation.
The lawsuit alleges that passengers experienced extreme discomfort, with one reporting pressure in her ears to the point of fearing her head would explode. Additionally, many oxygen masks were reportedly malfunctioning during the flight.
The suit does not specify a monetary amount sought in damages. The flight had approximately 171 passengers and six crew members, including minors and lap children.
The court filings describe the passengers’ experience as shocking, terrorizing, and confusing, likening it to a waking nightmare. Alaska Airlines has offered affected passengers $1,500 in compensation along with mental health support, although the airline has not been named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs’ attorney, Daniel Laurence, emphasized the economic, physical, and ongoing emotional consequences faced by his clients, highlighting concerns over the troubled history of the Boeing 737 Max series.
The 737 Max 9 series has faced previous tragedies, notably the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Boeing’s CEO has pledged transparency and accountability in response to the incidents.
Following the recent incident, the FAA has grounded all Max 9 models and initiated investigations into Boeing’s practices. The FAA Administrator emphasized that the safety of passengers is their top priority and that the planes will not return to service until safety concerns are fully addressed.
