Alleged Pattern of Underreporting
The lawsuit accuses JetBlue of maintaining internal practices that minimized or reclassified fume complaints, which allegedly reduced formal reporting to regulators. Management is said to have labeled many incidents as routine “odor events” rather than potential contamination.
The attendant also alleges crew members were warned they could face discipline for refusing to operate flights cleared for departure, even when they suspected unsafe air quality.
In addition, she claims internal manuals limited employees’ ability to speak publicly about cabin safety issues without company approval.
Aircraft and Manufacturer Role
The complaint names aircraft manufacturer Airbus and equipment maker Honeywell, asserting they knew about recurring problems tied to auxiliary power units used on certain Airbus models but failed to implement lasting fixes.
Internal airline reports referenced in the filing allegedly documented repeated odor and contamination episodes, often connected to APU systems. In some cases, equipment was temporarily disabled rather than repaired, the suit claims.
