Alaska Airlines passengers sue Boeing for $1 billion after a door socket exploded mid-flight

Three passengers on an Alaska Airlines flight that was forced to make an emergency landing after the plane's door exploded mid-flight have filed a lawsuit against Boeing for $1 billion.

the complaintThe lawsuit filed on February 20 alleges that the plane manufacturer's negligence caused the accident in early January.

Kyle Rinker, Amanda Strickland and Kevin Kwok were all on board Alaska Flight 1282 when the exit door plug in the middle of the plane fell off the plane and air began to escape.

In the process, phones, the teenager's shirt and other personal items were taken from the plane, while passengers clung to the seats and to each other.

The three plaintiffs, who were all sitting in two rows diagonally from the pit, are seeking “substantial punitive damages” from the manufacturer.

“I know some people were able to text their loved ones and tell them what was going on. We couldn't even do that, we just had to stick together,” Ms Strickland said. He told ABC News.

Ms. Strickland and her boyfriend, Kyle Rinker, told the outlet that they could not hear their fellow passengers screaming because the air flow was so loud.

She added: “It was terrible. Our lives will change forever now. Like I said, we don't know if we will ever be able to get on a plane again.”

The lawsuit, filed by aviation law firm Jonathan W. Johnson, claims Boeing should have conducted more inspections before putting the 737 MAX 9 into service.

Investigations so far have shown that four major screws were missing from the panel that fell from the plane while flying from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California. There were 174 passengers and six crew members on board.

Seven passengers and a flight attendant were slightly injured, as the plane made an emergency landing in Portland.

Both Alaska Airlines and United Airlines have withdrawn the 737 MAX 9 from service while investigations are ongoing.

The Federal Aviation Authority said Monday that Boeing failed to meet quality control standards during manufacturing, while another report raised concerns about employees' comfort in reporting safety issues.

The National Transportation Safety Board's investigation into the accident is still ongoing.

Alaska Airlines and Boeing did not immediately respond to requests for further comment The Independent On Monday, a Boeing spokesman said the company had “nothing to add.”