Airport Worker Says Tarmac Crash Left Her With a Lasting Brain Injury
A former ramp agent at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is suing the Port of Seattle and Alaska Airlines, saying a baggage tug struck her on the tarmac nearly three years ago and left her with injuries she still lives with every day.
Tyler King filed a negligence lawsuit on Thursday, Oct. 22. She claims the two organizations are to blame for the brain and back injuries she suffered when a co-worker driving a baggage tug hit her in November 2023.
What Happened on the Tarmac
Baggage tugs are the small vehicles that tow carts of luggage around airport ramps. In November 2023, King was part of a team of ramp agents helping an Alaska Airlines plane back out of Gate N3 at Sea-Tac when a passing tug struck her.
According to Simple Flying, which reviewed details of the case, surveillance video shows the tug, driven by a co-worker from Alaska subsidiary McGee Air Services, striking King from behind. The outlet reported that a Port of Seattle investigation found the driver was distracted, took an unauthorized shortcut and veered out of the prescribed traffic lanes before hitting her.
King’s attorney, Ray Bishop of Bishop Legal, says she was standing where she was supposed to be. “She was absolutely in a space that was supposed to be safe,” he said.
Living With Lasting Injuries
King says she suffered a permanent traumatic brain injury and significant back pain in the crash. Nearly three years later, she says the pain is still part of her daily life, with frequent headaches and nausea that leave her frustrated and wanting to be alone.
“It was negligence,” King said. She described trying to do everything right, from staying healthy to showing up for work, only to have her life upended by the crash.
The lawsuit’s allegations have not been proven in court, and the specific damages King is seeking have not been widely reported.
What the Port and Alaska Airlines Say
In a written statement, the Port of Seattle said it “remains focused on the safety of all workers on the ramp” at the airport. The port noted that it has rules and regulations for behavior on the ramp, and that most ramp operations are carried out by airline and tenant employees who are required to follow those safety rules, including driving without distraction and staying aware of their surroundings.
Alaska Airlines had not publicly responded to the lawsuit at the time of reporting.
Not the First Case of Its Kind at Sea-Tac
King’s lawsuit is one of several recent cases involving baggage tug injuries at the airport, and Bishop has represented other ramp workers in similar suits.
Earlier this year, former ramp worker Tia Valentine reached a roughly $2 million settlement after she was thrown from a baggage tug in 2022 and left with chronic pain and limited mobility. That settlement was paid by Alaska Airlines’ insurance company.
In another case, a worker named Alyah Payne lost part of her leg in a 2021 tug collision and later received an $11 million settlement. And earlier this year, ramp worker Marcus Creary filed a lawsuit claiming that unsafe conditions on the tarmac led to a tug crash that left him with chronic nerve damage.
Why Ramp Safety Matters
Ramp agents work in one of the busiest and most hazardous parts of an airport. They load and unload luggage, guide aircraft in and out of gates and move equipment around planes, often on tight schedules and in all kinds of weather.
That fast pace, combined with heavy vehicle traffic on the ramp, can create dangerous conditions when safety rules aren’t followed. Cases like King’s are likely to keep the spotlight on how airports and airlines protect the workers who keep flights moving.
The lawsuit will now move through the courts, where both sides will have the chance to present their case.
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