Airline Passengers Successfully Resolve Major Lawsuit Over Alaska Airlines and Boeing Due to In-Flight Door Malfunction
In a significant turn of events, a lawsuit filed by three passengers against Boeing and Alaska Airlines following a dangerous mid-flight door plug blowout on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 on January 5, 2024, has been settled out of court. The incident, which occurred shortly after takeoff from Portland, Oregon, caused rapid cabin depressurization, an emergency return to Portland, and minor injuries to seven passengers and one flight attendant.
The lawsuit, which sought damages for emotional and physical injuries including severe stress, trauma, and hearing damage, accused the defendants of negligence in manufacturing and maintenance. Court documents described passengers hearing a whistling sound, which was reported to six crew members, but the pilot’s cockpit instruments indicated normal readings initially.
Investigations revealed that four critical bolts meant to secure the door plug were missing, a manufacturing oversight traced back to Boeing’s Renton, Washington facility, where repairs were made but bolts were not replaced. This raised serious concerns about Boeing’s training, oversight, and quality control processes. Regulatory scrutiny followed, including evaluations by the FAA, the NTSB, the FBI, and the Department of Justice.
The lawsuit was settled on July 7, 2025, with terms confidential and the suit dismissed with prejudice, preventing refiling. The settlement involved Boeing, Alaska Airlines, and the passengers suing for damages. Specific financial breakdowns or conditions were not publicly disclosed.
This incident added to Boeing’s ongoing legal and regulatory troubles, including a recent felony plea related to the 737 Max 8 crashes. FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker stated that Boeing must commit to real and profound improvements following the emergency. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found Boeing at fault for a previous incident where a panel flew off a 737 Max 9 jetliner in 2024.
On the day following the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes for further inspections. Some of the 174 passengers on the affected flight reported a whistling sound and alerted the six crew members.
Meanwhile, a separate incident involving a Boeing jet, a Hainan Airlines plane, experienced a bird strike and subsequent engine fire after departing from Rome, Italy. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that missing bolts from the door plug played a factor in the midair door blowout.
Boeing did not immediately respond to FOX Business' request for comment regarding the latest incident. Alaska Air declined FOX Business' request for comment regarding the latest incident.
[1] Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson contributed to this report. [2] Alaska Airlines took more than 60 Max 9’s out of service while conducting safety inspections. [3] The FAA temporarily grounded Boeing’s 737 MAX 9 planes for inspection. [4] After the pilot checked the cockpit instruments, which supposedly read as normal, the plane turned back and landed safely in Portland.
- The settlement of the lawsuit against Boeing and Alaska Airlines, stemming from a mid-flight door plug blowout on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, was confidential and prevented refiling.
- Investigations found that the problem stemmed from four missing bolts, a manufacturing oversight traced back to Boeing’s Renton, Washington facility.
- This incident added to Boeing’s ongoing legal and regulatory troubles, including a recent felony plea related to the 737 Max 8 crashes.
- In response to the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes for further inspections.
- Another incident involving a Boeing jet, a Hainan Airlines plane, experienced a bird strike and subsequent engine fire after departing from Rome, Italy, with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reporting that missing bolts from the door plug played a factor.
- The general news, crime and justice, policy and legislation, finance, transportation, and aviation industries have been closely following these developments, with potential implications for the future of Boeing and the aviation industry as a whole.
