Delta Air Lines has agreed to pay $79 million to settle a class-action lawsuit stemming from a January 2020 incident in which one of its aircraft dumped fuel over schools and residential areas near Los Angeles.
The incident occurred on 14 January 2020, when a Boeing 777-200 en route from Los Angeles to Shanghai experienced engine trouble shortly after takeoff. Forced to return to Los Angeles International Airport, the jet released 15,000 gallons of fuel over densely populated neighbourhoods to achieve a safe landing weight.
Nearly 60 schoolchildren and teachers from schools in Cudahy were examined for minor skin and lung irritations, though none required hospitalisation. Teachers from Park Avenue Elementary School filed a lawsuit, alleging they were exposed to jet fuel that drizzled down like raindrops with “overwhelming” fumes, causing physical and emotional pain.
Delta stated in court documents that one of the plane's two engines lost thrust, and the aircraft exceeded its maximum landing weight by around 160,000 pounds. The pilots decided to dump fuel “to reduce the serious risks of flying and landing an overweight airplane on just one engine.”
The airline agreed to the settlement without admitting liability, citing a desire to avoid legal expenses and “to eliminate the distraction and other burdens this litigation has caused to Delta’s business.”
