**Former Airport Employee Launches Negligence Lawsuit Following Serious Tarmac Accident**
A former ramp agent has initiated legal proceedings against the Port of Seattle and Alaska Airlines after suffering serious injuries when she was struck by a tug vehicle at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Tyler King, who was assisting with the pushback of a plane in November 2023, recounts the traumatic incident which heaped substantial distress on her life.
King was part of the team in charge of safely manoeuvring an aircraft away from its boarding gate when she was hit by a tug vehicle that was in operation nearby. Footage captured from the scene shows King falling to the tarmac as the vehicle, which was towing a luggage cart, passed by her. Nearly three years on from that fateful day, she expresses that she is still enduring debilitating pain.
In an interview with local news outlet King 5, King spoke candidly about her ongoing struggles with her health. “The pain I experience every day when I wake up, how bad my head hurts, it makes me nauseous. I get frustrated. I don’t want to talk. I want to be alone,” she shared, illustrating the significant toll the incident has taken on her mental and physical well-being.
King’s civil complaint alleges that she sustained “severe and disabling injuries,” including a traumatic brain injury, along with damage to her neck, back, right shoulder, and hip. She insists that negligence played a key role in her predicament, stating, “I did everything I could do to be healthy, be strong, go to work, come home like I was supposed to do. I didn’t get to do that.”
The legal action has been set in motion with the assistance of her lawyer, Ray Bishop from Bishop Legal. He has highlighted a troubling pattern within US airports, asserting that while safety should be a primary concern, financial motivations often take precedence. “At many US airports, safety is job No. 2. The priority, or job No. 1, is to keep the planes coming and going as fast as possible so that airports can enjoy the profits to be made from the gate fees airlines must pay every time they use a gate,” Bishop commented.
Bishop has a history of representing ramp agents who have suffered life-altering injuries, such as amputations, in similar circumstances. In a recent case earlier this year, his firm secured a multimillion-pound settlement from the Port of Seattle after another ramp agent, Tia Valentine, was allegedly thrown from and subsequently run over by a tug operated by a co-worker.
In response to King’s claims, a spokesperson for the Port of Seattle acknowledged the existing protocols designed to minimise risk on the ramp. The statement explained that all ramp activities are conducted by airline and service company employees, including those from McGee Air Services, and that adherence to port regulations is mandatory.
Regrettably, the spokesperson confirmed that the video evidence indicated the McGee employee operating the tug was not paying due attention and had deviated from the designated traffic route, consequently breaching the port’s safety rules. The spokesperson noted, “As a result, they were cited in accordance with Port of Seattle Rules and Regulations, which also included a notice to the worker’s company manager.”
King hopes that her lawsuit will serve a greater purpose beyond her recovery. “I don’t want anybody to ever feel like this, ever,” she said, underlining her desire for improved safety measures in the airport environment to prevent similar accidents in the future.
For now, an Alaska Airlines representative has refrained from making any statements regarding the ongoing litigation. As the case unfolds, it shines a light on the critical importance of safety regulations within busy transportation hubs, emphasizing the need for a cultural shift towards prioritising worker safety in the aviation industry.
As King continues to grapple with long-lasting injuries, her determination to seek justice underscores a broader narrative about the responsibilities of employers to ensure a secure working environment for all their staff.