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Southwest TSA fees class action lawsuit overview:
- Who: Aidan Bevacqua filed a class action lawsuit against Southwest Airlines, Co.
- Why: Bevacqua claims Southwest fails to refund TSA fees to passengers who do not use the tickets they purchase, instead providing them with a travel credit for a future Southwest flight.
- Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in Texas federal court.
Southwest Airlines fails to deliver on its promise to refund U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) fees to passengers who don’t use the travel tickets they purchased, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
Plaintiff Aidan Bevacqua claims Southwest “systematically failed to refund the TSA Fees as promised and even refused when passengers specifically so requested.”
Bevacqua argues that, in lieu of issuing a refund for the TSA fees, Southwest instead “improperly converted those TSA Fees into a Travel Credit for the passengers’ possible future use with Southwest.”
It was in Southwest’s standard Contract of Carriage from between May 2012 and March 2022 to refund TSA fees in the event a passenger does not use their ticket, the Southwest class action alleges.
Southwest allegedly acknowledged it was required to refund TSA fees in event of a flight cancelation or scratched trip
Bevacqua claims Southwest stated in its Contract of Carriage that it was required to refund the TSA fees by applicable regulations.
“The rationale for this is quite simple. While passengers prepay TSA Fees with their ticket purchase, no TSA security fees are owed if the passenger never travels on the purchased ticket,” states the Southwest class action.
Bevacqua wants to represent a nationwide Class of consumers who were not refunded their TSA fees but instead were given a travel credit following a reservation with Southwest that involved a US departure that was either canceled or not completed.
Plaintiff argues Southwest is guilty of breach of contract. He is demanding a jury trial and requesting an award of actual damages for himself and all Class Members.
In April, Southwest was able to escape claims that it failed to provide the same amount of pandemic-related time off to employees who were on military leave as it did for its non-military employees.
Have you been denied a refund for a TSA fee after a canceled flight or change of plans? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiff is represented by Stephen T. Blackburn of Blackburn Law PC, and Laura L. Ho, James Kan, Byron Goldstein, and Mengfei Sun of Goldstein, Borgen, Dardarian & Ho.
The Southwest TSA fees class action lawsuit is Bevacqua v. Southwest Airlines, Co., Case No. 3:22-cv-01837, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
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24 thoughts onSouthwest class action alleges airline will not refund TSA fees on unused tickets
I have a similar experience paid 638.00 for a RT ticket that didn’t get used. They refused to refund the money or forward the value of the ticket for future use.
I am out $1400 under two different confirmation numbers. They have expired and refuse to help me. How ironic that any tickets canceled after July 2022, now never expire. I believe SWA knows they are in for a pending lawsuit so they changed their policy.
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I bought a ticket on Southwest Airlines confirmation number 3EVW92. Before I could take the trip, I fell requiring one visit to the ER. After the third fall, I could not take my trip. I have severe balance issues. I had booked my ticket through Fusion Travels. When I called, I asked for a refund of the amount I had spent on my ticket. I was told that no refund was possible and that the amount I had spent could be transferred to another person. I am a widow. I just survived Hurricane Ian, requiring me to replace my roof. I need the cash I spent on my ticket. No one told me about this rule when I bought my ticket.
My plans changed but was not refunded, only a credit which is still being enforced?
I bought a ticket on Southwest Airlines confirmation number 3EVW92. Before I could take the trip, I fell requiring one visit to the ER. After the third fall, I could not take my trip. I have severe balance issues. I had booked my ticket through Fusion Travels. When I called, I asked for a refund of the amount I had spent on my ticket. I was told that no refund was possible and that the amount I had spent could be transferred to another person. I am a widow. I just survived Hurricane Ian, requiring me to replace my roof. I need the cash I spent on my ticket. No one told me about this rule when I bought my ticket.
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Oct 2021- son and wife’s flights were cancelled on SW. Offered them flights for 3 days later.they are young and have new jobs. They said no to flights 3 days away. Then the flights on Monday were cancelled as well so they wouldn’t have got home.I purchased the original tickets for them w/SW. SW gave them luv vouchers in their names for inconvenience since they dumped them. . SW wouldnt refund me even though they saw I paid for them. Being they offered them fits and refused them, SW WOULDN’T Issue a refund to me. I had to purchase tickets for them to get home. I had to drive 2 hrs to the only airport to get them home, pay for a hotel and purchase tickets for $1,100.00!!. That weekend is when they cancelled 1,000 flts across country.
i had a few flights that had to be cancelled mostly during the pandemic and could not get a refund at all. and i have never got refunded for tsa fees and i fly southwest all the time