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Alaska Airlines Wrongful Death Lawsuit Ends in $3.19 Million Ruling for Family

After a three-year lawsuit against Alaska Airlines, a King County, Washington court awarded the family of Bernice Kekona $3.19 million in wrongful death damages. Kekona was killed in 2017 after the wheelchair-bound flyer fell down an escalator.

Alaska Airlines is ordered to pay the family of a flyer who died after suffering injuries at the airport $3.19 million, after the court determined the airline was responsible for the incident. Portland NBC affiliate KGW-TV reports the family of Bernice Kekona will receive the award after a three-year court battle.

$3.19 Million Awarded After Alaska Airlines Found 90-Percent Responsible for the Incident

Kekona was traveling with the Seattle-based carrier in June 2017, flying from Hawaii to Spokane, Washington, with a layover at Portland International Airport (PDX). The 75-year-old wheelchair-bound flyer had an amputated leg and other health concerns, leading to her family asking for a gate-to-gate escort.

However, the family alleged in court documents that Kekona was only given wheelchair service off the flight, and was left alone at the gate after deplaning. They say her confusion led to her ultimately mistaking an escalator for an elevator, leading to her fatal injuries. The incident itself was caught on security cameras.

After being rushed to the hospital in Portland, the family claimed that Kekona continued to suffer from the injuries sustained that day. In September 2017, the family took her to a Spokane-area hospital for treatment from a leg wound they say was associated with the fall. Kekona died two weeks later.

The suit was filed in December 2017, alleging that the airline was negligent in their treatment of Kekona. At the time, the airline said that the flyer “declined ongoing assistance in the terminal and decided to proceed on her own to her connecting flight,” and the reservation did not have any notes about Kekona suffering from “cognitive, visual or auditory impairments.” The airline attempted to get the suit dismissed, but a court allowed the action to continue in March 2018.

In the trial, the 12-member jury found Alaska Airlines in violation of the Air Carrier Access Act for not helping Kekona navigate the airport. In addition, the jury said the airline was 90 percent responsible for the accident, with Kekona only 10 percent liable for the injuries.

Family Says They Can Move On, While Alaska Evaluates Options

In a statement to Seattle CBS affiliate KIRO-TV, the family of Kekona said they can now move on after the accident. They believe justice was served for the elderly flyer, and now want to focus on better memories of her life.

“We did what we were supposed to do to ensure my mom’s safety to get her to us home,” Darlene Bloyed, Kekone’s daughter, told KIRO-TV. “And Alaska didn’t deliver. They just didn’t follow through on their own protocols.”

In a statement to the CBS affiliate, Alaska said they were “disappointed” by the ruling and will take the time to evaluate next steps. The final ruling is subject to appeals.

“There is no more important responsibility than the safety and wellbeing of our guests,” the Alaska statement to KIRO reads. “Whether they’re in our care or the care of a vendor.”

11 Comments
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SamirD March 10, 2021

If you think this is bad, I traveled WITH my dad through DFW and they left him on so many occasions that he actually got out of the chair and walked, the golf carts passing him buy and picking up pretty women and other people for tips like it was a taxi. All the employees wouldn't speak in english to the point that dispatch yelled out on the radios--english only!! I stopped flying through DFW because of this. Even though my dad is gone now, I won't fly through DFW if I can avoid it. F an airport that thinks that's okay.

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MEaton March 2, 2021

Perhaps the airlines could introduce some sort of Handicapped Traveler Assistant fare, where a family member could accompany loved ones to their destination and assume all liability. It could be anywhere from free to 1/2 price. I'm sure Ticket & Gate staff as well as Crew members would LOVE to see more severely handicapped passengers being escorted by family. Just make it affordable to help genuinely handicapped family get to their destinations...

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EqualOpp February 28, 2021

Come to Seattle. People here are still petrified of each other. Walking outside they pull up their masks, if not wearing them already, and turn away from you. Young, old, middle, whatever. They walk / run to other side of the street. For all the wealth in the Seattle area, one can see how scared people are. - Maskless in the Seattle area (except at work)

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Walter B Kasmer February 28, 2021

I like the others when first reading about the planned lawsuit by the family wonder why no member from the family accompanied the elderly flier or at least came to the airport and arranged to help her with the transfer (if that is even possible with the advanced security issues now at airports).

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BC Shelby February 26, 2021

....they are not the only ones however. The bar has been seriously lowered in regard to customer service throughout the entire industry. As long as you pay for your ticket and all the associated fees, that's all that seems to matter. Three and a half decades ago it was very different. I once had to travel after a knee operation and the airline (Braniff) had a wheelchair brought to the drop off area, had my bag carried for me to check-in, then wheeled me to the gate, and moved me to a bulkhead seat. When I arrived at the connecting point (DFW) they transported to my next flight in one of those golf carts. again was given a bulkhead seat on that flight and was met by an agent with a wheel;chair at my destination who took me all the way to baggage claim and then the passenger pickup area.. Yeah, those days are long gone, and being older along with less agile these days, I dread flying. when I read stories like this.