A class-action lawsuit has been initiated against Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, by several passengers who experienced a harrowing incident aboard an Alaska Airlines flight. The flight in question, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, encountered a critical issue when a part of the fuselage unexpectedly detached in midair.
This incident led to an emergency landing at Portland International Airport. The Boeing 737 Max 9, carrying 174 passengers and six crew members, was en route to Ontario, California, from Portland when the malfunction occurred.
Filed in King County Superior Court in Washington state, where Boeing’s headquarters are located, the lawsuit represents six passengers and one relative. It asserts that the incident caused physical harm to some passengers and inflicted emotional trauma on most, if not all, passengers onboard. The claim specifically highlights the event’s severity, noting that “the force of the depressurization ripped the shirt off a boy.”
Boeing's Responsibility for Aircraft Safety Highlighted in Lawsuit
The lawsuit underscores Boeing’s responsibility for the aircraft’s safety, including design, maintenance instructions, and ongoing airworthiness. It cites Boeing CEO David Calhoun’s acknowledgment of the company’s fault in a recent employee meeting. Calhoun is quoted in the lawsuit: “acknowledging our mistake,” thereby implying the fault in securing the plug to the fuselage, whether during the manufacturing process or subsequently.
Exclusion of Alaska Airlines as a Defendant in the Boeing Lawsuit
It is important to note that Alaska Airlines is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. A Boeing spokesperson, when contacted by CBS News, refrained from commenting on the matter.
Additionally, the lawsuit mentions Spirit AeroSystems, the manufacturer of the door plug that malfunctioned. Spirit AeroSystems, once a part of Boeing until its spinoff in 2005, is also facing a separate federal class-action lawsuit filed in May. This lawsuit alleges consistent quality failures in its products.
The incident and subsequent legal actions underline ongoing concerns regarding aircraft safety and manufacturing standards in the aviation industry.