Shocking compensation Alaska Airlines passengers were offered after door blew off at 16,000 feet
Topics: US News, Travel, Money, Mental Health
Poppy Bilderbeck
Featured Image Credit: TikTok/@schwimshady/@strawberr.vy
Topics: US News, Travel, Money, Mental Health
Passengers on the Alaska Airlines flight which lost it's door mid-air are speaking out after being offered 'inadequate' compensation.
On Friday evening (5 January), Alaska Airlines flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon to fly to Ontario, California. However, it had to turn back to its departing airport after the plug covering an unused exit door blew out at 16,000 feet and blew the 'entire door' off.
Thankfully, none of the 177 passengers and crew onboard the Boeing 737 Max 9 were hurt - though some of the passengers have since spoken out about the traumatic experience, as well as being offered compensation by the airlines.
Warning: Contains description of plane incident and distressed text messages:
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Emma Vu - one of the 171 passengers - took to TikTok shortly after the ordeal to share her experience of what happened and to share texts she sent her parents, believing they may be her last.
A series of texts read: "I am so scared right now. Please pray for me. Please I don't want to die."
Other passengers also spoke out about the horrifying ordeal, with Nicholas Hoch telling NBC News it was 'disorientating, alarming, terrifying', and TikToker Courtney describing it as 'the scariest moment in [her] life'.
Vu later revealed the airline allegedly offered her 'a compensated flight with more legroom,' 'free snacks,' as well as $1,500 in compensation for 'any inconvenience'.
The TikToker commented: "Alaska, would love some money, maybe some money for therapy. I don’t know, I just feel like a reimbursed flight with more legroom and free water and snacks is not enough."
A partner at Seattle based Stritmatter Firm, Daniel Laurence, is representing other Alaska Airlines passengers in a different case and has spoken out about what legal options passengers on flight 1282 have.
The partner warns The Post passengers on flight 1282 could sue the airline for 'emotional distress'.
Laurence advised: "As a moral matter, $1,500 per passenger, for what could have been a death experience and might even be described… as a near death experience, is inadequate.
"They clearly would have a claim for emotional distress that was inflicted upon them.
"I’ve actually heard from one of the passengers this morning who was interested in talking to me about the incident."
Shortly after the 1282 fight returned back to Portland, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered Alaska Airlines to ground all Boeing 737-9 Max airplanes across the globe.
It launched an investigation to inspect every plane, resulting in 160 cancelled flights, as per Oregon Live.
Alaska Airlines' website states: "When we are able to proceed with the formal inspection process, all aircraft will be thoroughly inspected in accordance with detailed instructions provided by the FAA in consultation with Boeing."
President of the Association of Flight Attendants, Sara Nelson, said in a statement Saturday (6 January): "Last night's incident could have been worse, but flight attendants and pilots of Alaska 1282 ensured all passengers and crew arrived safely back on the ground. We commend the entire crew."
A spokesperson for Alaska Airlines told the New York Post: "We recognize how extremely distressing this incident must have been and we are grateful to you and our crew for everyone’s calm and patience throughout this experience.
"We will fully investigate this incident and work with the relevant authorities to understand what happened."
UNILAD has contacted Alaska Airlines for comment.