Temple law professor sues Boeing over cabin fumes
Jonathan Harris, an associate law professor at Temple University, filed a $40 million lawsuit in Arlington County Circuit Court against Boeing, alleging he suffered serious health problems after inhaling toxic fumes on an August 2024 Delta Boeing 737 flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles. The complaint claims contaminated bleed air entered the cabin, describes symptoms including dizziness and memory loss, and cites FAA incident reports showing similar fume events occur multiple times daily; Boeing did not comment and Delta declined to comment.
📌 Key Facts
- Plaintiff: Jonathan Harris, Temple University associate law professor
- Defendant: Boeing; venue: Arlington County, Virginia, Circuit Court
- $40 million in damages sought plus attorneys’ fees
- Incident: August 2024 Delta 737 ATL–LAX flight; passengers reported 'dirty socks' odor and multiple vomited
- Background: CBS review notes fume/smoke events in cabins occur more than three times per day per FAA reports
📊 Relevant Data
A 2025 narrative review found that acute health effects from exposure to aircraft contaminated air include headache, dizziness, upper respiratory irritation, elevated blood pressure, and stomach cramping, with some aircrew developing a chronic syndrome featuring persistent symptoms.
Still Running on Fumes—Contaminated Cabin Air and Health... — Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
In 2024, Airbus aircraft accounted for about 61% of reported fume incidents, nearly three times more than Boeing aircraft, according to a CBS News analysis of FAA reports.
Fume incidents on airplanes raise health concerns for passengers ... — CBS News
Fume events, while rare, can result in symptoms ranging from nausea and headaches to long-term neurological damage for airline crew members and passengers, as reported in a 2025 Forbes article.
FAA And Airlines Slow To Address Toxic Jet Fume Events On Planes — Forbes