Woman left sleeping on plane sues airline
A woman who fell asleep on a Philly-bound flight and woke to find herself trapped in the cabin more than three hours after it had landed filed suit against the airline alleging false imprisonment.
A Michigan woman who fell asleep on a Philadelphia-bound flight and woke to find herself trapped in the cabin more than three hours after it had landed filed suit against the airline Thursday alleging false imprisonment.
Ginger McGuire, 36, boarded a Trans States shuttle Monday night at Dulles International. During the one-hour journey she fell asleep. The aircraft landed about 12:30 a.m. at Philadelphia International But McGuire said the flight crew didn't bother to rouse her. She said she awoke at 4 a.m. to find herself alone on the 50-seat plane with all the doors locked.
"Waking up to an empty airplane and not begin able to get out was very horrifying," McGuire told WDIV-TV in Detroit.
McGuire, who works for a Michigan radio station, told the Detroit News that she walked up and down the aisle for 15 minutes. Though she had used her phone to check the time, she said didn't think of calling for help.
Minutes later, the plane's door opened. She was greeted by a TSA officer and two Philadelphia police who demanded she produce ID and questioned her for about 10 minutes.
Back in Michigan on Thursday, McGuire held a news conference with her attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, to announce she was filing suit against Trans State Airlines, which operates commuter flights for United Airlines under the United Express banner.
The suit alleges false imprisonment, negligence, emotional distress and breach of contract.
"For a crew of United Airlines and Trans State Airlines to leave her there and lock her in a plane is beyond unacceptable, beyond a gross abuse," Fieger told WDIV-TV. "It constitutes false imprisonment."