Boeing and Alaska Airlines have settled a $1 billion lawsuit out of court after a mid-flight door blowout incident left passengers frantic and afraid for their lives last year.
The details of settlement, reportedly reached July 7, have not been disclosed as part of an agreement among the aircraft manufacturer, the airline and the passengers who filed the suit, according to KPTV. The agreement also prevents the lawsuit from being refiled.
On Jan. 5, 2024, the door plug blew out at 16,000 feet on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, six minutes after departing from Portland, Oregon. The flight rapidly lost pressure, causing the California-bound flight to make an emergency landing.
In the chaos, the roaring hole in the fuselage sucked phones, a pilot’s headset, and a shirt off the back of a nearby passenger. Seven passengers and a flight attendant sustained minor injuries, and no lives were lost, The Idependent reported.
Shortly after the incident, Boeing’s CEO at the time, David Calhoun, apologized on behalf of the company.
The incident also provoked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of Justice, and the FBI to conduct an evaluation of Boeing’s production line. A series of whistleblowers pointed to shortfalls in assembly, with an investigation revealing that the Alaska Airlines aircraft had made more than 100 flights with four bolts missing from the door plug.
Last month, the National Transportation Safety Board determined that Boeing was responsible for the incident and announced the issuance of new safety recommendations to the aircraft manufacturer and the FAA.
Last July, the embattled aircraft brand pleaded guilty to a felony charge for deceiving regulators who approved its 737 Max 8 model, which crashed in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people. Boeing agreed to pay a fine of $243.6 million, invest $455 million in safety programs, and to hold a 20-month ban on 737 Max flights.
