A judge has approved a settlement between JetBlue Airways Corp. and two plaintiffs who accused the airline of dropping a block of ice from one of its planes on January 1, 2024, smashing through the roof of their home in Inglewood.
According to a report by a city news agency, Torrance Superior Court Judge Alan B. Honeycutt approved the settlement agreement between the two parties on Wednesday, August 5.
JetBlue Airways’ lawyer, in court documents previously submitted, stated that the settlement reached with the plaintiffs was fair to both parties; if the case went to trial, the airline could have presented “convincing defenses to deny liability.”
The lawsuit stated that on the evening of January 1, 2024, around 8:10 p.m., the two plaintiffs were at their home on West 102nd Street when a large chunk of ice fell, crashed through the roof, landed directly above their bed, narrowly escaping a disaster. The lawsuit alleged that the ice came from a JetBlue Airways flight that departed from New York to Los Angeles International Airport.
The lawsuit mentioned that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigated the maintenance and engineering records of the plane in question and found issues with the potable water system since July 2023, with suspicions of dropping translucent ice blocks onto another property in August 2023.
When the plaintiffs filed a lawsuit for negligence and trespassing in October 2024, they expressed concerns about feeling safe in their own home due to the fear of being hit by falling objects from airplanes.
The settlement amount was not disclosed in court documents, but according to information provided by JetBlue Airways’ lawyer, plaintiffs Michael Reese and Leah Ferrarini claimed roof repair costs exceeding $11,000, psychological therapy expenses of around $5,600, and Reese stated a loss of income amounting to $84,000 for the period between May 2024 and February 2025.