Victoria Waldron says nine similar incidents were previously documented before her alleged April 1, 2024, injury
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NEED TO KNOW
- A flight attendant claims she suffered severe burns from a malfunctioning coffee maker during an April 2024 flight
- In a civil complaint filed on behalf of Alaska Airlines flight attendant Victoria Waldron, she alleges that Stumptown Coffee’s packaging was defective and unsafe for use
- The complaint cites at least nine similar incidents and accuses Stumptown of failing to address known safety issues
An Alaska Airlines flight attendant is suing Portland-based Stumptown Coffee Corp, alleging she suffered “serious and permanent” thermal burns to her body from an “explosive” coffee maker on board a 2024 flight.
In a March 27 civil complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Western Washington and obtained by PEOPLE, Victoria Waldron says she was exposed to “scalding hot coffee, coffee grounds and boiling water with explosive force” during an April 1, 2024, flight.
Waldron’s complaint names Stumptown Coffee Corp. as a defendant, citing one count of design defect and failure to warn, as well as one count of breach of implied warranty.
She alleges that about 30 minutes before landing at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Arizona, the onboard coffee maker in the galley “suddenly and without warning failed catastrophically."
Waldron says she sustained “immediate and severe thermal burns to her chest” and other areas of her body. She notes she was pregnant at the time and allegedly “experienced immediate physical pain, distress and fear for herself and her unborn child.”
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In the complaint, she claims she now suffers from “permanent scarring that causes her emotional distress,” ultimately requiring “ongoing dermatological evaluation, treatment and potentially surgical or cosmetic intervention.”
The complaint alleges that the incident was caused by "defective packaging" from the airline's coffee supplier, Stumptown Coffee Corp. It cites one count of design defect and failure to warn, as well as one count of breach of implied warranty.
In 2023, Alaska Airlines announced it was partnering with the Portland-based roaster to offer its brews on all company flights beginning Dec. 1 of that year. Previously, the airline served Starbucks coffee on its aircrafts.
However, Waldron’s complaint claims the roaster “did not adequately design, test or validate its coffee packaging for safe performance” in aircrafts "under the pressurized, high-heat conditions present during commercial flight operations.”
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The flight attendant says her burn was not an isolated incident. In February 2024, the Association of Flight Attendants representing Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines employees issued a statement identifying at least nine incidents caused by “scalding hot coffee and grounds spewing from the brew basket” of coffee makers.
The complaint alleges that despite the public knowledge of the defects, Stumptown took no action before the April 1, 2024, incident.
“Stumptown took no corrective action, issued no warning to Alaska Airlines, recalled no product, and continued to supply the same packaging to Alaska Airlines without modification,” the complaint says. “Stumptown's failure to act after receiving actual notice rendered its continued supply of defective packaging particularly egregious.”
The flight attendant is demanding a trial by jury and is seeking damages for medical expenses, lost income and general pain and suffering in an amount to be determined in court.
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PEOPLE has reached out to Waldron’s attorney, Stumptown Coffee and the Association of Flight Attendants for comment.
Alaska Airlines declined to comment, citing active litigation.
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