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Two former employees of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are calling for improved working conditions after suffering serious injuries in baggage tug accidents. The incidents, occurring at different times, both resulted in severe leg injuries for the women involved.
Alyah Payne, one of the former workers, lost her leg in an accident about four years ago while working for Alaska Airlines. Payne recalled, "Suddenly, during a blind turn, Payne's tug collided with another," leading to her leg being crushed. Reflecting on how her life was drastically altered, she questioned whether the airport authorities would prioritize worker safety, insisting, "this shouldn't keep happening." Simple Flying has reached out to the Port of Seattle for their comments on these events.
Tia Valentine, another former employee, experienced a similarly devastating accident about a year and a half after Payne's. As she recounted, "While making that turn, I had fell out. I hit my head and then my leg followed and then got wrapped up in the tire." This incident left her permanently disabled. Valentine has since been awarded $11 million in a lawsuit against the Port of Seattle, Alaska Airlines, and her employer.
