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Rota couple sues airline firm
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Posted on Oct 11 2005
A couple have sued an airline company, alleging that the husband was hurt when he fell from the stairway while disembarking from the plane early this year.
Moses and Qianyan Fejeran filed with the Superior Court yesterday a civil action against Aviation Services (CNMI), Ltd., which does business as Freedom Air. The suit seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages against the airline company, accusing it of negligence in ensuring passengers’ safety.
In their complaint, the Fejerans said the injuries that Moses suffered from the fall made him unable to perform his duties as a husband.
“Mr. Fejeran has been unable to perform the duties of a husband, in that he can no longer assist with the housework, provide love and physical and emotional affection, participate in family, recreational or social activities with Mrs. Fejeran,” the Fejerans’ attorney, David Banes, said.
Banes said Moses boarded Freedom Air’s flight 200 from Saipan to Rota on Jan. 18. When the flight landed, the company’s staff positioned a rolling stairway for passengers to disembark from the plane.
“As Mr. Fejeran was descending the stairway, because the stairway was unsafe, he lost his footing and fell down, striking his right knee on the ground,” Banes said.
Banes said the fall resulted in severe injuries for Moses, who sustained a sprained ankle and torn ligament. Moses had to be treated at the Commonwealth Health Center for the injuries, over which he also allegedly suffered from mental pain and anguish.
Banes said the stairway had no handrails and did not have a non-slip surface. He said the airline company also failed to secure the stairway from swaying from side to side and to train its attendants in assisting passengers disembark safely from the plane.
