United Airlines has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit alleging it charged passengers extra for 'window seats' that lacked windows. The airline argued in a Monday filing that the term 'window' refers to the seat's position next to the aircraft wall, not a guarantee of an exterior view.
The class-action lawsuit, filed in August in San Francisco, claims United and Delta misled passengers by labeling seats as 'window' on booking screens and boarding passes, even when those seats were adjacent to blank walls. Plaintiffs say they paid extra for comfort, light, or views and would have chosen differently if aware of the lack of windows.
Attorney Carter Greenbaum, representing plaintiffs against both airlines, criticised United's stance as 'contrary to the reasonable expectations of countless passengers'. He added that 'consumers deserve better than empty promises and United's word games'.
United countered that federal law largely bars lawsuits over airline fees and surcharges, which it says are part of ancillary revenue keeping base fares lower. The airline also noted that courts have previously upheld such fee structures.
The lawsuits seek millions in damages on behalf of over one million passengers per airline. A similar case against Delta is pending in Brooklyn, New York.
