Flight Attendant Files Lawsuit Against Stumptown, Alleging 'Catastrophic Product Failure' Following Burns Sustained Mid-Flight – CoffeeTalk

A flight attendant, Victoria Waldron, has filed a lawsuit against Stumptown Coffee Company, claiming serious injuries sustained from an incident involving their product. During an Alaska Airlines flight on April 1, 2024, Waldron, who was pregnant at the time, was handling a coffee pot when it “catastrophically failed,” expelling a mixture of boiling coffee, grounds, and water, resulting in significant thermal burns and scarring on her chest. The lawsuit, submitted to the federal court in the Western District of Washington on April 27, does not specify a monetary amount for damages but indicates that Waldron requires ongoing dermatologic treatment for her injuries, which include a heat-triggered rash.

The attorneys representing Waldron allege that Alaska Airlines had been forewarned about malfunctioning coffee pots approximately 40 days prior to the incident, based on complaints tracked by the flight attendants’ union. There have been prior reports of injuries involving nine other aircraft crew members, attributed to the “explosive force” of the coffee pot. It was also noted that a union executive member had called for these coffee pots to be removed from service due to packaging issues during a meeting on February 28.

The lawsuit asserts that Stumptown Coffee Company had not properly tested its coffee products under the specific high-pressure conditions of commercial flights, leading to the accident. As of now, Stumptown has yet to respond to the allegations in court and did not provide comments in response to media inquiries. Alaska Airlines, which switched from Starbucks to Stumptown coffee products in December 2023, has also refrained from commenting, and the flight attendants’ union has not replied to requests for statements either.

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