(Daily Caller News Foundation) — Alaska Airlines passengers filed a lawsuit against The Boeing Company on Thursday after a “‘plug’ type passenger door” flew off the plane in the middle of a flight last week, according to court documents.
The U.S. grounded hundreds of commercial 737 Max-9 planes after the left door plug for Flight 1282 broke off the plane mid-flight causing the cabin to depressurize. Several passengers aboard the flight sued Boeing for emotional and physical trauma, claiming that the company “failed to design and/or construct those aircraft safely,” according to court documents.
“The event physically injured some passengers and emotionally traumatized most if not all aboard. The violence of the event bruised the bodies of some,” the lawsuit reads. “The cockpit door blew open and a flight attendant rushed to try to close it. The pressure change made ears bleed and combined with low oxygen, loud wind noise and traumatic stress made heads ache severely. Passengers were shocked, terrorized and confused, thrust into a waking nightmare, hoping they would live long enough to walk the earth again.”
JUST IN: Alaska Airlines confirms to me that "nobody was assigned to sit" near the spot where the hole opened in the side of flight 1282, and "nobody was moved."
Alaska will not say if seats in row 26 were empty because pax missed the flight, which would have been amazing luck. pic.twitter.com/tlilJigEnd
— Pete Muntean (@petemuntean) January 7, 2024
The depressurization ripped the shirt off of a child and sucked out numerous personal belongings as well as several seats, the lawsuit claims. Several passengers, including the child, were reportedly forced to climb to the front of the plane.
“As the airliner flew on, passengers feared they would not survive the flight,” the lawsuit reads. “Thoughts of a complete plane malfunction and possible destruction naturally entered their minds. Some prayed. Some texted family to express their trepidation. Some gripped and clung to one another. Some adult passengers were crying. Most were [eerily] subdued in their collective helpless state, muted with masks on.”
A Boeing spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the company had “nothing to add” when asked about the lawsuit.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday that it was launching an investigation into the incident and Boeing in order to determine if the company failed to implement proper safety protocols. The FAA also said that the timing of the 737 Max-9’s return to service would depend on the “safety of the flying public, not speed.”
