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In a significant development, four flight attendants from Alaska Airlines have filed lawsuits against Boeing, alleging negligence and failure to exercise reasonable care in the production, sale, and repair of 737 MAX jets and its parts. The lawsuits, filed in Seattle’s King County Superior Court, focus on Boeing’s alleged lapses in quality control and manufacturing practices.
The plaintiffs, who acted courageously during the mid-air cabin panel blowout on a 737 MAX 9 plane in January, allege that Boeing knew or should have known about quality control issues in the production of the 737 MAX aircraft but failed to ensure the plane was safe to operate. Specifically, the suits accuse Boeing of negligence in producing, selling, and maintaining the aircraft and parts, including failing to install four key bolts in the aircraft during production. This negligence and unsafe manufacturing allegedly caused the cabin panel blowout, leading to serious physical, emotional, and financial injuries for the flight attendants.
The flight attendants are seeking compensation for past and future economic damages, emotional distress, mental injuries, and other related financial costs. Tracy Brammeier, the attorney representing the plaintiffs, emphasized that they acted courageously during the incident, following their training to protect passengers despite the traumatic experience.
The lawsuits come amidst criticism from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) regarding Boeing’s safety culture and inadequate oversight. Last month, the NTSB stated that Boeing had failed to provide sufficient training, guidance, and oversight to prevent the incident, and also criticized the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) ineffective oversight. The U.S. Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into the incident.
Additionally, the NTSB has pointed out Boeing’s failure to install four key bolts in the panel during production. The incident prompted the NTSB to say that Boeing had failed to prevent the incident.
This is not the first time Boeing has faced scrutiny over the 737 MAX series. The planes were grounded worldwide in 2019 following two fatal crashes, and Boeing has been working to regain public trust ever since. The company declined to comment on the lawsuits.
In a separate development, the US Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into Boeing, declaring that the company was not in compliance with a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement.
[1] Reuters, "Four Alaska Airlines flight attendants sue Boeing over 737 MAX incident," URL
[2] CNN, "Boeing faces new lawsuit from flight attendants over 737 MAX incident," URL
- The lawsuits filed against Boeing by Alaska Airlines flight attendants, focusing on alleged lapses in quality control and manufacturing practices, are receiving international news coverage.
- The general-news media coverage of these lawsuits includes reports of Boeing's failure to ensure the safety of the 737 MAX aircraft and parts, such as the omission of four key bolts during production.
- Apart from the lawsuits, Boeing is under investigation by the US Justice Department for non-compliance with a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement, adding to the political scrutiny the company is facing.
- The culture of safety within Boeing has been called into question by both the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, with the NTSB stating that Boeing had failed to prevent the incident on the 737 MAX 9 plane in January.
