April 03--A lawsuit filed against Spirit Airlines and two of its flight attendants claims the company was negligent in the death of a Chicago man who died after having a medical crisis on board a flight home, according to court documents.
Christopher Allen, 41, was traveling on Spirit Airlines Flight 356 from Las Vegas to Chicago in April 2013, when he became unresponsive, according to the suit filed by his wife in Cook County Circuit Court. At the time, the two flight attendants were unaware of where medical equipment on the flight was located, the suit alleges.
Allen had gone into cardiac arrest, the Chicago Fire Department said at the time.
"Spirit had a duty to ensure that its flight crew, including but not limited to its flight attendants were adequately and appropriately trained to address medical emergencies that might arise on board," the lawsuit said.
Fellow passengers tried to resuscitate Allen midflight, but he died later that day, according to the suit. A post-mortem examination determined Allen died from hypertensive cardiovascular disease, according to the lawsuit.
Spirit Airlines didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
The lawsuit also names Rush University Medical Center as a defendant, alleging a failure to provide a cardiologist after a 2012 doctor appointment revealed abnormalities in Allen's lab work.
Tribune reporter Meredith Rodriguez contributed.
tbriscoe@tribpub.com
