CHICAGO- Star Alliance carrier United Airlines (UA) must now face a lawsuit brought by passengers who paid extra for window seats and later discovered their allocated seats had no windows.
A US District Judge rejected the airline’s defense that the term “window seat” referred only to the seat’s location in the cabin rather than the presence of a physical window.
Judge James Donato dismissed United’s bid to throw out the case. The ruling follows similar proposed class action suits filed against both United and Delta Air Lines (DL) in August last year, after passengers complained about finding themselves seated next to blank walls on the Boeing 737, Boeing 757, and Airbus A321.
Judge Rejects United’s Contractual Argument
United has maintained that a window seat never contractually promised a physical airplane window and instead referred to the seat’s position within the cabin. The airline noted that select rows on some aircraft do not have a window to view outside.
The lawsuit claims the airlines failed to clearly disclose the missing windows to passengers during the reservation and booking process. According to The Daily Record, this situation can occur where seats align with aircraft components such as air conditioning ducts, leaving the window absent.
United has refused to comment on the matter, citing pending litigation. The airline confirmed it has added extra detail to its online process, where customers now receive more information on what to expect when selecting a seat.
More Than One Million Passengers Per Carrier
The current lawsuit seeks millions of dollars in damages and has reportedly been brought forward by more than one million passengers per airline, including SkyTeam partner Delta.
Judge Donato quashed United’s argument, stating the airline should be able to provide window seats when passengers have paid for them. He found no further information was needed at this stage for the breach claim to proceed.
Plaintiffs argued that passengers purchase window seats for several reasons. These include fear of flying, nausea from motion sickness, entertainment for children on board, and access to more daylight or a view.
United has allegedly charged premiums for window seats positioned against blank walls. The claims seek millions for the misrepresented seat features and for the airline’s failure to disclose the missing windows during booking. Delta, which faces a similar lawsuit in the New York Federal Court, has continued to dismiss the claims.
Why Windowless Window Seats Exist
Windowless window seats can result from customized seating layouts, where the aircraft fuselage carries predetermined structural requirements that leave a row failing to align with a physical window.
Beyond seating density, this misalignment is commonly caused by structural components. Passengers looking to reserve a window seat should review the seat map, where they can confirm whether the seat has a window.
The following structural factors explain the misalignment:
| Structural Component | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| Utilities | Air conditioning risers, electrical wiring, or emergency equipment |
| Structural Integrity | Load-bearing framework |
| Emergency Exits | Placement over wing emergency exit doors can shift row alignments |
United must now defend against passengers who claim they paid extra for a window seat and, after discovering no physical window existed, took the matter to the Federal Court for damages in the millions. The core of the claim centers on the definition of a window seat and the additional ancillary fees charged for that seat.
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