Passenger Sues Alaska Airlines Over Alleged Sexual Assault

A woman has filed a lawsuit against Alaska Airlines nearly two years after an alleged in-flight sexual assault committed by an intoxicated passenger.

According to Tacoma, Washington-based aviation and injury firm Mark Lindquist Law, the lawsuit accuses Alaska Airlines of negligence for "grossly overserving alcohol and failing to protect the victim."

The lawsuit states that the incident occurred during a flight from Seattle to Honolulu on May 14, 2023. The unidentified woman was traveling with her book club when she noticed flight attendants continually refilling a glass of red wine for a male passenger seated across the aisle.

She alleges the man grabbed her hand for an unwanted kiss before eventually passing out. However, he eventually awoke and flight attendants continued to serve him alcohol.

Later, the woman alleges the man forcibly grabbed her right breast and groped her while she was resting with an ice pack over her face to quell a headache.

The man was met by officers upon landing and a deputy sheriff described him as "very unsteady on his feet and I could smell the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath as he spoke."

"With this lawsuit, our client hopes for accountability and justice," said Lindquist. "She doesn't want drunken sexual assaults happening to others."

In the past, Alaska Airlines has stated it has "zero tolerance for any type of misconduct that creates an unsafe environment for our guests and our employees."

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