Mareesa Nicosia  |  October 14, 2020

Category: Covid-19

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People ride a roller coaster at an amusement park - Six Flags

Six Flags made “the unconscionable decision” to continue charging hundreds of thousands of membership and season-pass holders monthly membership fees while its 26 theme parks throughout the U.S., Mexico and Canada were closed for months because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a class action lawsuit. 

Plaintiff Ryan Strassburger, a Chicago resident who has a Gold Plus monthly membership and has been a Six Flags member since at least 2019, accuses the theme park giant of continuing to charge him full membership fees between March 13, when Six Flags closed parks nationwide, through at least July, according to the class action lawsuit filed Oct. 8 in an Illinois court.

During that time he did not have access to any Six Flags parks, including the one he normally patronized in Gurnee, Illinois, the class action lawsuit states. 

Most Six Flags customers sign up for monthly memberships that range from $7.85 to $42 per month depending on the level purchased and any incentives, according to the class action lawsuit.

These fees are automatically deducted from customers’ debit or credit cards on a monthly basis, allowing Six Flags to “unilaterally charge their customers monthly fees without their consent, as they are in possession of their customers’ debit and credit card information,” the plaintiff asserts. 

“Plaintiff signed up for defendants’ month-to-month membership with the belief and on the basis that he would have access to defendants’ parks every day of the typical season — and especially in the summer time,” the class action lawsuit states. “Plaintiff would not have paid for the membership, or would not have paid for it on the same terms, had he known that he would not have access to any of defendants’ parks.”

The company is deliberately bilking its customers on a monthly basis as the country is effectively shut down, Strassburger argues. 

Swing ride at Six FlagsAlso noted in the class action lawsuit is the discrepancy between how Six Flags and many other companies handled monthly membership fees as the pandemic forced businesses to close temporarily across the country this spring. 

“Unlike other companies, defendants continued charging their customers full-price monthly payments fees even though every park they own was closed through at least mid-May, and the vast majority of parks remain closed to this day,” Strassburger asserts. 

Furthermore, the theme park giant has refused to reimburse customers for payments already made while parks were closed, according to the class action lawsuit. 

The defendants are accused of violating the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act and the Illinois Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, in addition to a breach of express warranty, negligent misrepresentation, fraud, unjust enrichment, money had and received, conversion and breach of contract. 

Strassburger, the only named plaintiff, seeks to represent a nationwide Class of all Six Flags customers who were charged the monthly membership fees while the theme parks were closed, as well as an Illinois subclass of all Class Members who were charged while the parks were closed in Illinois, according to the complaint.

The exact size of the Class is unknown but is believed to number in the hundreds of thousands. 

The plaintiff seeks a jury trial as well as a declaratory judgment that defendant’s actions constitute violations of the laws and statutes cited.

He is also seeking injunctive and other equitable relief as is necessary to protect the interests of the plaintiff and Classes, including reasonable litigation expenses, attorneys’ fees and pre- and post-judgment interest. 

The class action lawsuit is among at least three complaints filed against the theme park operator regarding fees that customers were reportedly charged while the parks were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A similar case filed in California in April accused Six Flags of wrongfully charging season-pass holders membership fees. The April lawsuit and the one filed this month by Strassburger have an attorney in common. 

Are you a Six Flags season-pass holder? Were you charged for your membership during the coronavirus pandemic closures? Tell us about it in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by attorneys Michael Aschenbrener and Scott Kamber of KamberLaw LLC; Yeremey Krivoshey and Frederick J. Klorczyk III of Bursor & Fisher PA; Daryoosh Khashayar of Khashayar Law Group; and Ronald A. Marron, Michael T. Houchin and Lilach Halperin of the Law Offices of Ronald A. Marron. 

The Six Flags Membership Fees Consumer Fraud Class Action Lawsuit is Ryan Strassburger, et al. v. Six Flags Theme Parks Inc., et al., Case No. 2020CH06208, in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, County Department, Chancery Division. 

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104 thoughts onSix Flags Class Action Lawsuit Says Parks Charged Membership Fees During COVID-19 Closures

  1. Gloria Robrahn says:

    I am in Texas and was charged monthly. I recently went to the park to remove my 86 year old mother due to her being diagnosed with dementia and the refused. No charges allowed. I would have to cancel my membership, which I would have to do online only, but guess what? Links did not work. And I know if I cancel the new membership does not equal any where close to my current benefits. Scam!

  2. Bernadette O'Flaherty says:

    Here in New Jersey we shut down in March of 2020 and I was still charged for three memberships until Six Flags Great Adventure opened up again in April 2021. I still have the three memberships and throughout 2021 you had to register what day you wanted to go. Now it’s easier and we still enjoy our time there, but I was very upset to see I was charged that whole year during the shut down

  3. Antoinette M McAllister says:

    I am on the St Louis area, six flags has been taking 7 dollars from my account every month and we are not a season pass holder for almost 2 years. I’ve called and emailed them with no end result besides the 7 dollars they continue to take. Please help

  4. Noe G says:

    In CA we shut down in March 2020 I was still billed for 13 months. In October of 21 I cancelled my diamond membership. I was billed 58 dollars every month. Finally in oct of 2022 I was gifted tickets and went. I took a wild shot and asked to see if I had passes still. I was told yes I had passes available until 2023 Dec 17. I arrived today to six flags and was told I no longer have active passes. I am upset because I paid all that time and I didn’t get my months that I paid for. Can anyone help me?

  5. Jennifer Goldspiel says:

    I was charged through the entire pandemic for two Gold memberships plus parking. I’ve paid over $2,500 to them never being able to use the park.

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