If this story is exactly as reported, something never assured with the press, it's just another sign of how venal and contemptible we've become as a people.
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Woman says she fell asleep, woke up alone on plane
May 27, 2010 (5:44p CDT)
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - A Michigan woman who fell asleep on a United Express flight to Philadelphia says she woke up and was shocked [!] to find she was alone on the plane.
Ginger McGuire said no one had awakened her when the plane landed more than three hours earlier. She said she paced the aisle for about 15 minutes early Tuesday until the locked door opened and police demanded identification.
"Waking up to an empty airplane and not being able to get out - it was very horrifying," [Yeah, if you were a 10-year-old child, not an adult of 36.] McGuire, 36, told reporters Thursday as her lawyer announced a lawsuit. [Ride that gravy train, girl!]
McGuire said she simply fell asleep after a long trip that stretched from Detroit to suburban Washington and, finally, Philadelphia. She said the plane landed Tuesday about 12:30 a.m. EDT.
United Airlines spokeswoman Sarah Massier declined to comment because the incident has led to a lawsuit. A message seeking comment was left at Trans States, based in Bridgeton, Mo. The Transportation Security Administration said it was investigating.
The United Express flight is operated by Trans States Airlines in partnership with United Airlines.
McGuire's attorney, Geoffrey Feiger, said his law firm filed a lawsuit against United and Trans States, alleging negligence, false imprisonment [Oh, come on!] and distress. McGuire lives in Ferndale, a Detroit suburb.
"For a crew to leave her there and lock her is beyond a gross abuse," Fieger said.
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Granted, the airline was negligent in not thoroughly checking to see if all the passengers had disembarked, but no real harm was done, so why sue?
Because, of course, they, McGuire and her lawyer, smell an easy payday. She was oblivious to her "false imprisonment" for all but 15 minutes, so how much distress could she have experienced? I hope this lawsuit gets laughed out of court, but it will probably be taken seriously and the (supposedly) aggrieved party will get many thousands of undeserved dollars.
McGuire may have a legal leg to stand on in today's litigious climate, but that doesn't make what she is doing right. People make mistakes, and when those mistakes cause physical injury to another party through negligence, be it intentional or otherwise, I'm all for bringing suit. But this case is ridiculous, and what McGuire is doing is immoral.
Take care.
DAL357
1 comment:
This woman's law suit is as greedy as the woman's law suit over the hot coffee in her crotch. Yes, I would be pissed at not being awakened but maybe some free flyer miles or a stay in the hotel would suffice. And, a heartfelt apology from the crew. But a law suit? Nah.
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