Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Flight Attendants File First Lawsuits Against Boeing Over 737 Max 9 Door Plug Blowout

Crew members claim Boeing’s manufacturing failures allowed mid-air decompression that inflicted lasting trauma.

The fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 Boeing 737-9 MAX, which was forced to make an emergency landing with a gap in the fuselage, is seen during its investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in Portland, Oregon, U.S. January 7, 2024.  NTSB/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

Overview

  • Four flight attendants filed separate lawsuits on August 1 in Seattle’s King County Superior Court over a January 2024 door plug blowout on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9.
  • They allege physical, psychological and economic harms and accuse Boeing of product liability and negligence in its manufacturing processes.
  • This marks the first time crewmembers have sued Boeing over the incident, following passenger lawsuits that settled in July 2025 after a $1 billion claim.
  • A June 2025 NTSB report found Boeing failed to install four critical bolts and lacked adequate oversight, citing weaknesses in safety culture and FAA supervision.
  • Boeing has declined to comment publicly on the flight attendants’ suits.