Southwest settles wrongful death suit

Chicago - Southwest Airlines Co. has settled a lawsuit with the family of a boy who was killed in 2005 when a plane skidded off the runway into traffic at a Chicago airport, the airline said Wednesday.

The family of Joshua Woods filed wrongful death lawsuits against Dallas-based Southwest (NYSE: LUV) and the plane's manufacturer, Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA), about a year ago.

Woods was killed in December 2005 when a plane operated by Southwest skidded off the runway at a Chicago Midway and slid into traffic, hitting the car Woods was traveling in.

Brandy King, a spokeswoman for Southwest said the airline was not disclosing the financial terms settlement. King said there were other lawsuits filed, but she did not know the status of those suits.