American Airlines Class Action Lawsuit Seeks Refunds

UPDATE: On Oct. 29, 2020, an Arizona man suing American Airlines over its refund policy for flights cancelled due to COVID-19 is asking the court to certify the case as a class action lawsuit.

As airlines and passengers alike grapple with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak, passengers are attempting to gain refunds for canceled flights, with varying success.

According to one passenger’s COVID-19 flight cancelation class action lawsuit, American Airlines has failed to refund passengers for canceled flights. Allegedly, this is a violation of federal law, and recent instructions given by the Department of Transportation.

Did you have a flight canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak by American Airlines or another company? Were you able to get a refund? Get legal help here.

The American Airlines flight cancellation class action lawsuit was filed by Lee Ward. Ward is an Arizona resident who says that he purchased tickets for multiple flights that were canceled due to the coronavirus.

Allegedly, he tried to get a refund for the canceled flights, but was denied. Instead, he was offered a voucher, which he says is less valuable and not an appropriate compensation. 

Ward states that on Jan. 14, 2020, he purchased tickets for travel set to begin on March 12, 2020 and end on March 31, 2020.

He says the was scheduled to fly to Lima, Peru from Las Vegas, with a layover in Los Angeles. He also said that he had a return flight, scheduled to fly from Lima, Peru to Miami and then from Miami back to Las Vegas.

According to Ward, the Miami to Las Vegas return leg of the flight was booked via American Airlines and was cancelled by American Airlines. 

Scheduling another trip, Ward says that on Feb. 29, 2020 he purchased four tickets to visit Lima from May 30, 2020 to Aug. 3, 2020. Again, a leg of the trip was allegedly purchased via American Airlines — from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.

According to Ward, he travelled to Lima, Peru, as planned on March 12, 2020. He says that he receive a note from OneTravel.com – American Airlines’ booking site – informing him that his return flight had been canceled by American and Latam Airlines.

Then, on March 31, 2020, American Airlines allegedly informed him that his return flight was also canceled, and that another flight would not be available until May 7, 2020.

The American Airlines cancellations class action lawsuit says that Ward was forced to book a return flight on another airline to return home. Ward says that American Airlines has refused to refund him.

After Ward returned from Lima, he says that Arizona’s governor issued a “stay-at-home” order to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. At this point, Ward says that he requested a refund for his upcoming flight on May 30, 2020, as part of his next trip to Peru.

In this instance, Ward allegedly tried to speak to customer service representative multiple times to get a refund, but was denied each time. 

The American Airlines COVID-19 cancellations class action lawsuit said that, when the plaintiff purchased his tickets, he understood that he was entitled to a refund if the flight was canceled.

Additionally, he notes that the Department of Transportation requires airlines to provide refunds for canceled flights, and has recently reminded airlines of this obligation in light of the COVID-19 flight cancellations.

According to Ward, the airline has denied him and many other customers refunds in an unlawful manner.

He notes that American Airlines is offering a voucher good for future travel with the airline, but says that these vouchers are less valuable than a refund. He says that, in his case, he seeks a refund because he does not know when he would be able to use a travel voucher. 

Now, Ward seeks refunds for not only his canceled flights, but on behalf of all other consumers whose American Airlines flights were canceled and who did not receive a refund.

Unfortunately, Ward’s experience may not be unique. Multiple airlines have faced class action lawsuits accusing them of violating federal law by not providing refunds during widespread COVID-19 flight cancellations.

According to many travelers, airlines are unjustly trying to shift the costs of the coronavirus onto customers, and are violating both the law and their own contracts in the process.

Ward is represented by Steve W. Berman, Daniel J. Kurowski and Whiteny K. Siehl of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, E. Adam Webb G. And Franklin Lemond Jr. of Webb Klass & Lemond LLC and Allen R. Vought Law Firm LLC. 

The American Airlines Flight Cancelation Class Action Lawsuit is Lee Ward v. American Airlines Inc., Case No. 4:20-cv-00371, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

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