A passenger on an Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to Phoenix filed a lawsuit in King County Wednesday, alleging the carrier knowingly flew into severe turbulence while ignoring repeated weather warnings.
The suit involves Flight 700, which departed Sea-Tac Airport on Dec. 26, 2024. MyNorthwest reported that four crew members and one passenger were hospitalized after severe turbulence struck the plane en route to Phoenix. According to the filing, the aircraft dropped roughly 200 feet in seconds, throwing passengers and flight attendants through the cabin. Alaska Airlines, which earlier this year raised its checked baggage fees for Seattle travelers, now faces allegations it prioritized its schedule over passenger safety.
The plaintiff was seat-belted when her head struck the ceiling, according to the lawsuit.
“Plaintiff’s cell phone flew out of her hand, her ear buds popped out, her drink spilled, and she started crying from the terror,” the lawsuit states.
The plaintiff witnessed flight attendants screaming in agony and bleeding profusely, with some having collapsed on the cabin floor. The scene was bad enough that another passenger compared it to a war zone, claims the filing.
When the plaintiff moved to exit the plane after landing, a flight attendant was still down, moaning and begging paramedics not to move her. The plaintiff feared the attendant may have been partially paralyzed or otherwise permanently injured, according to the suit.
The negligence filing accuses Alaska Airlines of flying the aircraft “into danger” despite known hazards. It notes turbulence-related accidents are “the most common cause of injuries to commercial airline passengers” and argues the airline already knew this before Flight 700 took off. A separate lawsuit filed earlier this year alleged a Stumptown Coffee product burned multiple flight attendants on Alaska Airlines flights.
Attorney Mark Lindquist represents the plaintiff. A former Pierce County District Attorney who spent nearly a decade as elected prosecutor before transitioning to injury law, Lindquist has handled cases tied to both Boeing 737 Max 8 crashes and the Max 9 door plug blowout.
“Airlines have the highest duty of care for the safety of their passengers,” Lindquist said. “Safety should come before schedules.”
The lawsuit seeks compensation for the plaintiff’s physical injuries, medical bills, and emotional trauma, but does not request a specific dollar amount.