Woman left sleeping on plane sues airline

Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | 28 May 2010 | Sam Wood

[RogerWilko]

A Michigan woman who fell asleep on a Philadelphia-bound flight and awoke to find herself trapped in the cabin more than three hours after it landed sued the airline Thursday, alleging false imprisonment.

Ginger McGuire, 36, boarded a Trans States shuttle Monday night at Dulles International Airport outside Washington. During the one-hour journey she fell asleep. The aircraft landed about 12:30 a.m. at Philadelphia International Airport, but McGuire said the flight crew hadn't bothered to rouse her. She awoke at 4 a.m., alone on the 50-seat plane with all the doors locked, she said. "Waking up to an empty airplane and not being 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 had walked the aisle for 15 minutes. Though she used her phone to check the time, she said didn't think of calling for help, she said. Minutes later, the plane's door opened. She was greeted by a Transportation Security Administration officer and two Philadelphia police officers who questioned her for about 10 minutes....

McGuire's attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, said his law firm filed a lawsuit against United and Trans States, alleging negligence, false imprisonment and distress.

[RogerWilko]

So this lady decides to take a nap on short flight. Nobody wakes her up and she finds she's "trapped" on the plane! She has a cell phone and thinks to check the time, but doesn't think... "Hmmm... I have a cell phone and I'm locked in this plane! I think I'll see what time it is, but I won't think to call anyone to tell them I'm stuck here!"

Ohhh... I know what time it is! It's time to try and make some MO-NAY!!

It's not MY fault I fell asleep, and it's not MY responsibility to wake up! And it's not MY fault that I'm not smart enough to use my cell phone to call for help, but I DID check the time!

United better fight this moron!

[Ancient Drive]

sigh.... everything went downhill after that hot coffee spill lawsuit. We are a nation of victims.

[Gorzaloon]

Heh. Should have started the engines. That would have gotten attention.

[glorgau]

She doesn’t _look_ blonde.

[Vermont Lt]

What kind of drugs is she on that she cannot wake up. My guess is that several attempts to wake her up resulting in an Ambien tirade. And from that point, someone just forgot to tell someone when they got off the plane.

I am not sure what there is to sue about.

Give her a free first class ticket and send her on her way.

[84rules]

Though she used her phone to check the time, she said didn't think of calling for help, she said.

Oh, yeah. This one's a real Einstein.

[gathersnomoss]

Obama voter.

[norraad]

“Ginger” = all you need to know.

[evad]

When I first heard this two days ago,I smelled a gigantic RAT. I didn’t believe it then and now that I see this article, I believe it even less.

[USMCPOP]

I would have called the airline and asked for a wakeup call at 6:30.

[Paladin2]

The doors are designed to be opened from the inside. Did she have a cell phone? Use the radios in the cockpit?

[Lazamataz]

I’d hit it.

[RonF]

I have to disagree here. People fall asleep on planes all the time. I think it’s quite reasonable to expect the crew to wake people up and get them off the airplane at the end of the flight. I can also see waking up in such circumstances and being disoriented for a while.

Now, I don’t think that this should be a lottery ticket-scale payoff for her. One or two free round trips anywhere they fly would be reasonable, I’d say. Let’s not get greedy, and I’ll fault her for that. But I think it’s reasonable to hold that the airline failed in their duty.

[Azzurri]

This dingbat looks like she's still sleeping.

[rawhide]

I’m having a little trouble believing this woman’s story for some reason?

[norraad]

Sort of like "Tiffany", nice name, "for a Lamp"!

[bcsco]

McGuire's attorney, Geoffrey Fieger...

This and not 'realizing' she could use her cell phone for something other than giving her the time is all I need to know. Two money grubbers...

[hinckley buzzard]

Too much to drink before boarding.

[Hacklehead]

This was probably the first time the stupid slut woke up alone and found it horrifying. We’ve become a nation of incompetent jackasses.

[carolinablonde]

McGuire's attorney, Geoffrey Fieger...

Isn't he the guy who was Kevorkian's attorney?

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Sounds like a personal problem to me!

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

“McGuire’s attorney, Geoffrey Fieger..” Surprised he’s willing to litigate such a dopey case.

Familiar name, Dr. Kevorkian’s atty.

Could be a cause of action there against Sony or GE or Sunbeam, whomever made her home alarm clock, if she ever oversleeps at home.

I don’t believe the “terms and conditions” of her ticket contain verbiage suggesting the airline is responsible for waking her up after the flight.

[RogerWilko]

I am not sure what there is to sue about

Whatchu talkin' bout Willis!? There's MONEY to made out there when someone doesn't wake you up!!

The 1st thing I think about when I fail to wake up after I land, and everyone has left the plane is... "Hey, I think I got a lawsuit here!"

KA-CHING!!

I wouldn't think of either trying to open the door, which usually lock from the inside, or even using my cell phone to tell someone.

"Nobody told me you could make phone calls with these contraptions! I thought it was a pocket clock! Ohhhh... Those are doors, with handles on them?!"

[70th Division]

Geoffrey Fieger. Such a slime ball and douche bag. He discredits the City of Southfield and Michigan. He hates John Engler. Does that tell you anything? I can’t say enough bad about that man.

[bcsco]

Isn't he the guy who was Kevorkian's attorney?

Yeppers! Says a lot, doesn't it...

[RogerWilko]

This dingbat looks like she's still sleeping

I think this is probably just a re-enactment for the TV Movie!

[fml]

On the local news yesterday afternoon the report was the planes cleaning crew found and woke her.

[Bob]

Somehow, this incident reminds me of the video of two people who get stuck between floors on an escalator. While they didn't use their cell phones, they do call out for help. :=)

[Vermont Lt]

I would have possible forgone the lawsuit and popped one of the emergency exits and slid down the ramp.

And if she was landing in Hartford, her bags would just be getting out anyway. So at least she did not have to stand around making small talk.

[GladesGuru]

“Heh. Should have started the engines. That would have gotten attention.”

OK, Boys & Girls - can we say “hot start”?

Trashing turbines will get attention, but not what the attention she wants. Juries are sooo mean about not rewarding deliberate destruction of valuable things belonging to someone else.

Summation: Being a blond is genetic. Acting blond is volitional.

[Paisan]

I have to disagree here.

Me too. The plane’s crew is responsible for securing the airplane after every flight. THEY WERE negligent.

Now, assume this was someone with a hearing or vision disability. Or, someone named Mohammed etc.

TSA should be investigating the crew of the aircraft for numerous security violations

[Spudx7]

Please tell me that video was of actors. Seriously, in real life they must have figured out they could walk up the steps?????

[bcsco]

In that photo, she looks like every man’s nightmare. It’s in her eyes... As for Fieger, he’s saying “Play it fall all it’s worth, babe...”.

[Richard Kimball]

To truly be every man’s nightmare, she’d have to be good looking enough for a guy to put up with her craziness.

[bcsco]

Seriously, in real life they must have figured out they could walk up the steps?????

Maybe they did but considered going uphill too hard. Never did figure out though, they could turn around and...

[RogerWilko]

On the local news yesterday afternoon the report was the planes cleaning crew found and woke her.

Okay, if the cleaning crew found her, why couldn't she just walk off the plane?

It says she was trapped for 3 hours. If she was sleeping for 3 hours, that means she wasn't trapped, she was sleeping! But it says she checked the time on her cell phone. Why would she have to check the time if the cleaning crew woke her up?

OR... Did she decide she would wait it out on the plane, until someone found her, so she faked like she was sleeping when someone showed up!

I'm almost thinking that she was NEVER asleep, and had this planned out from the get-go! Maybe she was hiding in the bathroom and waited for everyone to leave so she could pull her little stunt!

[EDINVA]

Monday night and we’re reading about a suit that’s been filed on Friday? Atttention whore.

[JRandomFreeper]

It’s in her eyes.

It's eyes like that that keep me single.

/johnny

[bcsco]

To truly be every man’s nightmare, she’d have to be good looking enough for a guy to put up with her craziness.

A husband, yes. But craziness goes beyond marriage. I doubt there are many [sane] men acquainted with her who enjoy it...

[I cannot think of a name]

“TSA should be investigating the crew of the aircraft for numerous security violations”

If this story is true, the airline is in for some HUGE violations. It’s BOTH an FAA regulation and a TSA regulation that passengers are not allowed to be on board without the crew present. (Ever had to stand there at the gate and wait to board because the Flight Attendants weren’t there yet?).

Like I said - if it is true - this is going to cost the airline a bunch.

[InvisibleChurch]

So why didn't the attendants wake her? It seems simple enough to call airport security to come get someone who is difficult to rouse.

The only other scenario that makes sense is that she didn't want to be found after landing ... of course, my best conspiracy theories come from Star Trek when Ben Finney accused James Kirk of scuttling his career!

[bcsco]

“TSA should be investigating the crew of the aircraft for numerous security violations”

Separate issue, IMO. What you're describing is between the FAA/TSA and the airline. What this story is about is a personal lawsuit which is based on highly questionable behavior. While there's no doubt the crew may have acted negligently, there's sufficient suspicious behavior on the part of the woman to question her motives. And that's what this thread, and most posts are about.

[Old Professer]

Don’t be so harsh, okay? Do airplanes actually have outside locks on the doors that can be operated from inside?

If so then why don’t we hear of maintenance people locking themselves in?

[fml]

I wouldn’t doubt it is entirely a set up. My first reaction is she did fall asleep and is now just lying. She had a phone but didn’t use it? Come on - I could come up with a better lie than that.

[Old Professer]

I take Ambien on a regular basis, no rants, no raves - just lots of weird dreams...

[Sans-Culotte]

I have to disagree here. People fall asleep on planes all the time. I think it’s quite reasonable to expect the crew to wake people up and get them off the airplane at the end of the flight. I can also see waking up in such circumstances and being disoriented for a while.

Now, I don’t think that this should be a lottery ticket-scale payoff for her. One or two free round trips anywhere they fly would be reasonable, I’d say. Let’s not get greedy, and I’ll fault her for that. But I think it’s reasonable to hold that the airline failed in their duty.

Ditto. This could even be considered a security issue. A would-be terrorist could feign sleep and do untold mischief. The airline definitely failed to secure the plane.

[Bob]

Please tell me that video was of actors. Seriously, in real life they must have figured out they could walk up the steps?????

I'm quite sure that it was. The video was a spoof on how some people act as if they're completely helpless.

Here's a link to it: Stuck on an escalator

[HighlyOpinionated]

Personal Responsibility will be on trial and heaven help us all if this woman wins her lawsuit. Stupid is as stupid does.

She could have asked someone to awaken her when they landed or she could have set her phone-alarm. NO EXCUSE.

[Paisan]

highly questionable behavior...

Even if the woman was “hiding” in the bathroom, it is the responsibility of the crew to secure the plane at the end of each flight. They failed to do their duty.
The crew’s failure to do their duty is why the woman is able to effect any kind of complaint or lawsuit. Her motives aside, this is the kind of thing that we are supposed to be particularly vigilant for. What if “someone” had left a suspicious package on the plane? Let’s not wait for the “cleaning crew”. They’re probably “undocumented aliens” anyway...