Three Frontier passengers are suing the carrier saying they were traumatized and injured after being stranded inside a smoke-filled cabin during an emergency landing on Oct. 5.
Flight 1326 was traveling from San Diego to Las Vegas at 29,000 feet when a “chemical smell” was detected by flight crew in the forward cabin of the Airbus A321. Pilots were alerted and also later noticed the chemical, mildew-like smell in the flight deck.
An early report by the National Transportation Safety Board after the incident would determine that the crew struggled to communicate with air traffic control after placing the aircraft into an electrical emergency configuration. An emergency was declared and the crew began to descend toward Las Vegas.
According to the report, the aircraft’s pilots described an “increasingly hectic” and “stressful” flight deck. “Aircraft systems began to degrade,’ the crew told investigators.
Video of the landing showed a plume of smoke and fire around the tires of the aircraft. Initially, none of the 197 passengers were reported to have been injured in the rough landing.
That is until a lawsuit was filed on Oct. 21 alleging Frontier was negligent in the incident.
Plaintiffs Eddie Frierson, Alberto Cardoso-Ramirez, and Ana Figueroa-Cueva, all represented by attorney Steve Dimopoulos, stated in their complaint that they were stranded inside the sweltering smoke-filled aircraft for nearly an hour before being evacuated.
The complaint alleges that the landing was caused by Frontier’s failure to properly repair, inspect, maintain, and operate the aircraft in a reasonable and safe manner. The lawsuit cites Transit Inc., v. Chernikoff, stating that Frontier is a common carrier under Nevada law and owed a heightened standard of care to its passengers.
Plaintiffs are seeking $15,000 in general damages and $15,000 in special damages, plus lost wages in an amount yet to be determined.
Bob Harris, corporate communications manager at Frontier, told AirlineGeeks via email that the carrier doesn’t offer comment on pending litigation.
