Class Action Lawsuits Filed Against Delta and United for Deceiving Passengers on Window Seat Availability

Two major airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, are facing lawsuits filed by passengers alleging that they paid extra for “window” seats only to discover they were situated next to a blank wall. The class-action suits were lodged in San Francisco federal court against United and in Brooklyn, New York federal court against Delta, seeking substantial damages for over a million passengers at each carrier.

The complaints allege that certain Boeing 737, 757, and Airbus A321 planes feature seats devoid of windows due to the placement of air conditioning ducts, electrical conduits, or other components. Passengers claim these seats are not identified during the booking process by either airline, unlike their competitors such as Alaska Airlines and American Airlines who flag such seats even when charging premium prices.

Passengers argue that window seats are preferred for various reasons, including managing fear of flying, keeping children entertained, gaining extra light, or observing the world outside. The lawsuits contend that had passengers known these seats were windowless, they would not have chosen them, let alone paid extra. Both complaints echo similar sentiments.

Neither Delta nor United has responded to requests for comment as of yet.

Ancillary revenue from seat selection, baggage fees, cabin upgrades, airport lounges, and other services contribute significantly to airlines’ cash flow while keeping base fares low.

The Delta lawsuit is spearheaded by Nicholas Meyer from Brooklyn, and the United lawsuit by Marc Brenman of San Francisco and Aviva Copaken of Los Angeles. Copaken reports that United refunded fees for her windowless seats on two flights but not on a third.

Passengers can utilize websites like SeatGuru to assess the advantages and disadvantages of specific seats, including those lacking windows.

Lawyer Carter Greenbaum, whose firm filed both lawsuits, maintains that an airline cannot misrepresent its products’ nature and then rely on third-party reviews to assert that customers should have known they were being deceived.

The cases are listed as Meyer v Delta Air Lines Inc., US District Court, Eastern District of New York, No. 25-04608; and Brenman et al v United Airlines Inc., US District Court, Northern District of San Francisco, No. 25-06995.