Category - Travel
Homeowners Suing JetBlue After Freak Accident Damages Home
Dealing with plane noise comes with the territory of living near an airport, but falling debris from aircraft is an issue most people wouldn't expect to deal wtih. But for homeowners near Los Angeles International Airport, this nightmare became a reality—and now, they're taking JetBlue to court over it.
A new lawsuit filed in California federal court detailed Michael Reese and Leah Ferrarini's experience on New Year's Day 2024. The couple was getting into bed for the night when a "large block of ice, the size of [a] watermelon" crashed into their bedroom and landed near their pillows, with the couple "barely escaping devastating physical injury."
They tracked it down to a JetBlue flight from New York to LAX that was flying over their home at that moment. It turns out this isn't the first time this has allegedly happened with a JetBlue flight either, as the lawsuit noted a similar incident in August 2023 in Boston. The airline launched an investigation into a valve that had been removed from the plane after the ice fell, but it was too little, too late.
"Had JetBlue done so after being on notice that there was a problem as early as July 2023, the discharge of the large block of ice on plaintiffs’ home would not have occurred," the lawsuit said.
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The frozen debris caused "extensive damage to their roof" as well as their quality of life. The lawsuit claims they "cringe in fear with each plane that passed over their home" and can "no longer sleep comfortably…without thinking of the incident." They're now moving out of their beloved abode as a result of alleged insomnia and emotional damage. "The incident has overall made them anxious and depressed, feeling unsafe in what was their dream home," the suit said.
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The couple is suing for negligence and trespass and seeking $1 million for the incident. They're seeking $360,000 for property damage, $300,000 for emotional distress, $300,000 for pain, suffering, and inconvenience, and $40,000 in medical expenses, per Business Insider.
"At JetBlue, safety is our number one priority and guides everything we do," a spokesperson for the airline told Fortune. "Due to ongoing litigation, we will not be commenting on this matter."