A Mercer Island woman is taking Alaska Airlines to court after a Seattle-to-Phoenix flight allegedly plunged roughly 200 feet during severe turbulence on Dec. 26, 2024, injuring several flight attendants. In her lawsuit, she says passengers and crew were violently thrown into the cabin ceiling even though the seatbelt sign was on, and accuses the airline of ignoring repeated weather warnings. She is seeking compensation for medical bills, ongoing physical symptoms and emotional trauma.
Suit says airline flew into warned turbulence
The lawsuit, filed this week in King County Superior Court by aviation attorney Mark Lindquist, centers on Alaska Airlines Flight 700, which departed Seattle despite forecasts of rough air and then “abruptly dropped” about 200 feet, tossing passengers and crewmembers around the cabin, according to KIRO 7. In the complaint, Lindquist argues that “Airlines have the highest duty of care for the safety of their passengers. Safety should come before schedules.” The suit seeks damages to cover medical treatment and long-term care.
NTSB preliminary report: what investigators found
A preliminary report from the NTSB confirms the turbulence encounter occurred near Henderson, Nevada, on Dec. 26 while the aircraft was cruising at flight level 330. Out of 181 people on board, two flight attendants suffered serious injuries and another sustained a minor injury. Investigators report that the crew had been briefed about expected turbulence, monitored dispatch weather products and turned on the seatbelt sign roughly 15 minutes before the encounter. Two unrestrained attendants working in the rear galley were hurt when the severe turbulence hit. The report also notes that a SIGMET and an AIRMET were in effect for the area and that the pilots declared a medical emergency but continued on to Phoenix because diverting would have taken the jet through the same forecast turbulence.
Tracking data and photos cited in the complaint
Flight-tracking data show a sudden altitude loss of about 200 to 300 feet as the jet passed near Las Vegas, according to information reported by Fox Weather and other outlets. Court exhibits attached to the complaint include a photo that appears to show a missing square ceiling panel and allege that passengers and flight attendants were “slammed into the cabin ceiling.” The filing describes the plaintiff’s injuries as trauma to her head, neck and back and says she now suffers frequent headaches, neck stiffness, difficulty sleeping and intense anxiety before flights, according to OregonLive.
Turbulence injuries have spiked in recent years
The case lands at a time when aviation safety groups are warning about an uptick in turbulence-related incidents. Flight Safety Foundation data show 33 turbulence-related airliner accidents in 2024, the most in a single year since 1982, and the group urges airlines to prioritize avoidance in flight planning and for passengers to keep their seatbelts fastened at all times, per the Flight Safety Foundation. The complaint and outside experts both point to that broader trend as part of the argument that carriers should be held to strict operational standards.
What comes next
The King County lawsuit will move through the civil courts while the NTSB continues its investigation, and whatever investigators uncover could prove pivotal if the case reaches a jury and they are asked to decide whether Alaska Airlines was negligent. The airline had not issued a public response to the lawsuit as of the latest reports, according to KIRO 7 and the NTSB.
