Three passengers who sued Alaska Airlines and Boeing for $1bn following a mid-air explosive decompression incident on January 5, 2024, involving a B737-9, have settled out of court.
The lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice on July 7, meaning the plaintiffs cannot refile the same claim in the future, although the settlement terms remain undisclosed. The incident resulted in minor injuries to one flight attendant and seven passengers after the left mid-exit door plug failed during climb shortly after takeoff from Portland International.
The National Transport Safety Board’s investigation revealed that four bolts securing the left mid-exit door plug were missing prior to the aircraft’s delivery to Alaska Airlines, attributing the blame to Boeing for oversight.
Following the incident, Boeing paid approximately $160m to Alaska Air Group due to the grounding of its B737-9 fleet.
One of the attorneys shared, “The settlement terms were not disclosed, and the suit was dismissed with prejudice.”
According to The National Transport Safety Board, four bolts that secured the left MED plug were missing before the plane was first delivered to Alaska Airlines.
