Woman sues airline over 'extreme turbulence'

[alberttky 0]

A Texas woman is suing Continental Airlines and three other carriers over mental trauma she said she experienced during turbulence on a flight.

 

Colleen O'Neal of Lubbock, Texas, was flying from College Station to Houston on Oct. 29, 2009, when the flight hit extreme turbulence just minutes after takeoff, according to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Harris County district court. Weather reports at the time of departure showed a threat of "tornados, wind shear, and dangerously strong winds with rotating and intense thunderstorms."

 

What was supposed to be a 20-minute flight turned into more than two hours as the aircraft repeatedly rose and fell "as if it had lost power and was falling out of the sky," according to the lawsuit.

 

At one point, the pilots attempted to make an emergency landing in Victoria, Texas, but it was aborted.

 

In the lawsuit, O'Neal claims she experienced "extreme fear during this flight and believed that she was going to die." She has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and suffers from nightmares, flashbacks and an intense fear of flying.

 

She claims that the airline failed to obtain necessary weather information and take action to ensure the safety of passengers aboard the flight.

 

“I think they made a mistake in taking off. I don’t think we ever should have been in the air,” O'Neal told msnbc.com on Tuesday, adding that upon landing, crew members and passengers aboard the flight took a picture because they all survived.

 

O'Neal said she has not been able to fly since, which she believes has damaged her job prospects and future earnings potential.

 

In addition to Continental, the lawsuit also names Colgan Air, Pinnacle Airlines and United Continental Holdings. United and Continental announced a merger in 2010. Colgan Air, which was operating the aircraft for Continental, is owned by Pinnacle Airlines.

 

A spokesman for United Continental Holdings told msnbc.com that the airline had not yet had the opportunity to review the lawsuit.

 

http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/11/8274491-woman-sues-airline-over-extreme-turbulence

[Gavin Andrew David 6]

Oh now this is amazing. should file a law suit against mother nature while they're at it

[Josh T 0]

Not only she American but she's from texas. That just about says it all...

[Mike P 0]

Since 2009? And now filing a lawsuit? Kinda late for that...

[Peter Smith 1]

"only in America"

 

Enough said

[Mike P 0]

I think the lawsuit was filed by her because she has been suffering mental injury rather than physical injury like whiplash. Suffering post-traumatic syndrome for 2 years...

[lionel 0]

interesting...i really want to know the result.....i had this very bad turbulence experiences with MH last year fly from TPE to KUL...the whole flight was shaking all the way to KUL....it is the plane too old??? or the pilot fly it too fast? Coz we arrive KUL 40min early from the schedule...i really got phobia of flying right now....every time i will pray hard, please no turbulence on my trip, thats the all i hope for....

 

P/S: ya, i know some of you may enjoy the ride or turbulence, but i don't and i know that it is ok and safe, is just that the feeling really doesn't feel good....

[Rob 0]

interesting...i really want to know the result.....i had this very bad turbulence experiences with MH last year fly from TPE to KUL...the whole flight was shaking all the way to KUL....it is the plane too old??? or the pilot fly it too fast? Coz we arrive KUL 40min early from the schedule...i really got phobia of flying right now....every time i will pray hard, please no turbulence on my trip, thats the all i hope for....

 

P/S: ya, i know some of you may enjoy the ride or turbulence, but i don't and i know that it is ok and safe, is just that the feeling really doesn't feel good....

 

Turbulence isn't necessarily dangerous, only when you're not in your seat with your seatbelt fastened, nothing to do with airplane age. I like to liken turbulence with driving over a very rough road with many potholes, only that in an automobile one doesn't feel the varying G's because the order of disturbance on the airplane is way larger than when driving over rough road in a car and in an airplane you rotate about three axis. That's the only difference. Imagine the downdrafts and updrafts as being rolling over potholes.

 

Try to get a seat in the middle of the plane for a smoother ride. The effect of turbulence, plane pitching up and down is magnified when you're seated at the very back, just like a teeter-totter. I was in the last row on an A330 I kid you not it was nasty.

 

I've been in a plane that did stalls, phugoid motions, 2G turns, Dutch rolls, and turbulence is way way benign than those!

[Isaac 0]

Call me crazy but i actually enjoy flying more when the weather is not so good and the plane is shaking. I feel like a baby in the "ayunan" (i'm not sure what is the English equivalent for this word... i think it's called swinger or something)

[lionel 0]

Turbulence isn't necessarily dangerous, only when you're not in your seat with your seatbelt fastened, nothing to do with airplane age. I like to liken turbulence with driving over a very rough road with many potholes, only that in an automobile one doesn't feel the varying G's because the order of disturbance on the airplane is way larger than when driving over rough road in a car and in an airplane you rotate about three axis. That's the only difference. Imagine the downdrafts and updrafts as being rolling over potholes.

 

Try to get a seat in the middle of the plane for a smoother ride. The effect of turbulence, plane pitching up and down is magnified when you're seated at the very back, just like a teeter-totter. I was in the last row on an A330 I kid you not it was nasty.

 

I've been in a plane that did stalls, phugoid motions, 2G turns, Dutch rolls, and turbulence is way way benign than those!

 

 

hehe, i know it is ok and safe, it just that the feeling of fear kept on coming ....i also wish i can overcome this fear....i was on the last few row on the B772 that time, middle seat full....

 

yea, u the elite, experienced all the 'joy ride', i just pray i had a smooth and boring flight every time....hahaha

 

Call me crazy but i actually enjoy flying more when the weather is not so good and the plane is shaking. I feel like a baby in the "ayunan" (i'm not sure what is the English equivalent for this word... i think it's called swinger or something)

 

Ya, crazy isaac, i know some of you guys do enjoy it, and i also do tried b4 to get rid of it....hai~~fail...

[BC Tam 2]

.... I feel like a baby in the "ayunan" (i'm not sure what is the English equivalent for this word... i think it's called swinger or something)

sorry OT

I believe they are termed '(baby) hammocks' if suspended from the ceiling, 'rockers' for those that, well, rock to and fro on solid surface

I'm open to correction though, since my kids are already quite a few years past that stage

[gladysyeo 0]

Me too, suffering from fear of flying after i went through a bad turbulence with AK 2 years ago. It was dark, raining and the plane was shaking like mad. I still remember the look of fear on every passenger's face. I thought i was gonna die that night. Since then, i am afraid to fly. I had to choose the timing of each flight i take carefully. Mostly in the morning, where the probability of storm is lower, type of aircraft, preferably bigger sized aircraft, A330, B777, B738. I have to take medication before i fly. Meds such as xanax, tranquilizers. They don't help much as i'm pretty much still very sober and observant on what's going on. I just can't get over the fear but have no choice but to fly.

[Johan Z 0]

I always had bad turbulence (at least to me) into SYD or MEL. Didn't enjoy it at all, nearly needed a sick bag for most of the time. As many said, Triple 7 handles turbulence a little bit better than A330 or 737.