A passenger is suing Continental Airlines and three other airlines over mental trauma she said she experienced during a turbulent flight.
Lubbock resident Colleen O'Neal flew from College Station to Houston on Oct. 29, 2009 on a day when tornados and thunderstorms were reported in the region, the lawsuit Tuesday filed in Harris County district court said.
Within five to 10 minutes of takeoff for this flight scheduled for 20 minutes, it hit turbulence. The flight took more than two hours "and fell repeatedly, and felt as if it had lost power and was falling out of the sky," the lawsuit filed Tuesday stated.
Pilots aborted an attempted emergency landing in Victoria, the lawsuit alleges.
O'Neal believed she was going to die and has experienced post traumatic stress disorder and fears flying, the lawsuit stated. A Texas Department of Public Safety employee, she had hoped to work for FEMA in a job that would require air travel. She alleges that since she no longer travels by air, she has lost out on economic benefits.
O'Neal purchased the ticket from Continental. She is also suing Chicago-based United Airlines, which merged with Continental last year. Colgan Air, which is owned by Memphis-based Pinnacle Airlines, was operating the aircraft. She is suing all four of those airlines for physical and mental anguish, medical bills and the cost of the suit.
Officials from Continental and Pinnacle could not be reached immediately for comment.
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