Karigaca
Karigaca v. Southwest Airlines Co.
Opinion
Trial Court Opinion
BACKGROUND
19 Plaintiffs Misha Karigaca, Marcus Johnson, Kenya Latimore, and Manuel Labrador 20 (collectively, “plaintiffs”) purchased Southwest Airlines flight tickets to attend the annual 21 celebration of Jackie Robinson Day at Dodger Stadium held on April 15, 2018. Dkt. No. 19 (“FAC”) 22 ¶ 21. Plaintiffs have been friends since college, are avid professional baseball fans, and all reside 23 in California. Id. ¶¶ 6, 8, 10, 12, 20. Mr. Karigaca, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Latimore are African 24 American males. Id. ¶¶ 6, 8, 12. Mr. Labrador is a Filipino/Chinese American male. Id. ¶ 10. On 25 April 14, 2018, plaintiffs boarded Southwest Flight 5985 with service from Oakland, California to 26 Burbank, California. Id. ¶¶ 21, 25. The FAC alleges Southwest Flight 5985 was less than half full 27 on April 14, 2018, allowing passengers to spread out about the plane. Id. ¶ 26. Plaintiffs did not sit next to each other, instead sat in multiple rows and aisles. FAC ¶ 34. Mr. Karigaca sat in the aisle seat of the exit row; after sitting down he began playing music from his Bluetooth speaker. Id. ¶¶ 29, 35. The FAC alleges the “volume was not loud…