Southwest Airlines Passenger Suing Airline for Landing at Wrong Airport

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A Southwest Airlines passenger is suing the airline for landing at the wrong airport. The incident occurred back in 2014, when Southwest Airlines flight 4013 bound from Chicago-Midway (MDW) to Branson, Missouri (BKG), landed at M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport instead, which is seven miles away from the correct airport.

The passenger is claiming that this incident caused him “mental anguish, fear and anxiety†and is suing the airline for nearly $75,000 in damages. He claims he faced a panic attacked on another flight, and had to quit his job and take a lower paying job as he could no longer travel for work.

Since the incident, Southwest Airlines has discontinued their service to Branson, Missouri (BKG).

a blue airplane on a runway

Per Fox News,

The biggest difference between the two airports is the length of the runways. M. Graham Clark Airport’s longest runway is 3,738 feet, while Branson Airport’s runway is 7,140 feet long, which resulted in an abrupt landing with heavy braking, causing passengers to be tossed around and baggage to fly out of the overhead bins, the Branson Tri-Lakes News reports.

The two pilots were suspended from active flying while the National Transportation Safety Board investigated the mistake, according to USA Today. At the time, the airline apologized, refunded passengers’ tickets and offered them an additional travel credit as a “gesture of goodwill,†an airline spokesperson told USA Today.

According to a petition filed by his attorney, Haines was “immediately struck with fear and anxiety over potentially crashing.†He has since suffered a panic attack that forced him to be removed from another flight before takeoff. Haines was also allegedly forced to find employment at a lower paying job because he could no longer travel for work.

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