Boeing Passengers Sue For $1B After Door Plug Came Off Mid-Flight

PORTLAND, OR — Three people who were passengers on the Boeing 737 Max 9 that was forced to make an emergency landing when a door plug blew off mid-flight are suing the airplane manufacturer as well as Alaska Airlines for $1 billion in punitive damages, according to their law firm.

The plaintiffs are Kyle Rinker, Amanda Strickland and Kevin Kwok, according to a news release from aviation law firm Jonathon W. Johnson LLC, which announced the lawsuit in late February out of Multomah County in Oregon. Rinker and Strickland were seated two rows behind a teen whose shirt was sucked off during the incident, the news release said.

The Jan. 5 flight from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California, was brought to an abrupt halt minutes after takeoff when the plug, which was missing four bolts, became detached from the aircraft, leaving a large hole in the cabin, the Associated Press reported, noting there were no serious injuries.

Alaska Airlines identified a “pressurization issue” with the plane before the incident, according to the news release, which accuses Boeing of negligence causing “extreme panic, fear, and post-traumatic stress.”

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating, the news release said. Another lawsuit has been brought on behalf of 22 passengers, the Associated Press reported.

Boeing and Alaska Airlines both declined to comment, with Alaska Airlines citing the pending litigation and safety board investigation.