TWO airlines have been hit with lawsuits that allege the companies gave out “windowless window seats” to unknowing passengers.
The proposed class actions, filed against Delta and United Airlines, are seeking money for over one million flyers.
The two airlines have been accused of selling “windowless window seats”[/caption]
Passengers say they thought that they’d be getting a seat next to a window, but were instead met with a blank wall[/caption]
Delta‘s class action was filed in a Brooklyn, New York, federal court, while United’s was filed in San Francisco.
The suits claim that passengers picked seats they believed to have a window, only to board and realize they’re sitting near a blank wall.
It said that various Boeing 737, Boeing 757 and Airbus A321 planes have seats that would contain windows but have them blocked for a majority of reasons.
Air conditioning ducts, electrical pieces or other elements added may obstruct where the windows typically would be.
The flyers said that unlike other airlines, Delta and United do not mention the anomaly in the booking process — and the suit claims that they may have even charged more money for the seats.
“A large proportion of airline travelers prefer window seats, and are willing to pay extra money to obtain them,” the lawsuit against Delta said.
“Whatever the motive, had Plaintiff and the class members known they were choosing a windowless seat, they would not have selected it at all, much less paid more money for it.”
A comfort for flying fears. A method to help claustrophobia or motion sickness. A way to distract a young kid.
All of these were reasons why flyers may choose the window seats, according to the filing.
On social media, users have complained about the seating arrangements in the past.
“Delta! Can you please do a better job of noting when window seats don’t actually have windows? Some of us are nervous flyers and the window helps ease the anxiety,” a Reddit user posted on r/delta a year ago.
“There is nothing worse than picking a window seat and arriving to no window. This has happened to me on like four of my last ten flights. Why is it even a thing!?”
“One leg of my trip had a strange issue. There was no window next to my ‘window seat,’” another wrote on the subreddit two years ago.
The suit called Delta’s practices “deceptive and unlawful.”
Travel anxiety high as Americans say trips feel unsafe: study
A new study has found a majority of Americans feel “plagued” by nerves and anxiety by the mere thought of international travel.
In the past year, the poll of 2,000 U.S. travelers, conducted by Talker Research, found 94% have traveled domestically, and 28% have traveled internationally.
Fears of traveling abroad have increased for both groups — 30% of domestic travelers feel nervous about international travel, while 20% of travelers with international experience also feel nervous about doing it again.
And while 88% said they already have plans to travel in the next 12 months, four in 10 are starting to get cold feet over their next vacation due to how “unsafe” they think traveling will be.
Travel-related anxieties stemmed from potential travel delays and cancellations (42%), means of travel (40%), current government policies (40%) and current perceptions about American tourists (39%).
Others cited fears over the possibility of getting hurt while traveling (31%), not knowing much about their destination (27%), having traveled to unsafe locations in the past (16%) and having bad past travel experiences (15%).
A secondary study of 1,500 U.S. travelers conducted by AXA Assistance revealed people mostly travel to visit family (34%), go on summer vacations (34%) or escape for weekend getaways (32%).
Nearly all (95%) said safety was undoubtedly important to them. Some shared the more specific reasons safety is front of mind for them while abroad.
“Traveling should be something people can really enjoy and be able to relax. But for many, that’s not always the case,” said Stephen Samataro, chief revenue officer at AXA Assistance.
“The anxieties people feel are justified and reasonable. That’s why safety is so critical for people — people want the reassurance that they can worry less when they’re on vacation and focus more on their adventures.”
“When travelers book a seat on an airplane next to the wall, they expect it to have a window. Delta represents the same.”
Delta did not immediately respond for comment.
United told the US Sun that since it is an ongoing legal matter, it had nothing to share.
“For many years, United has knowingly and routinely sold windowless ‘window’ seats to consumers,” the San Francisco suit said.
“As a result, during the class period, United has likely sold over a million windowless ‘window’ seats.”
Both of the lawsuits use similar wording throughout the filings.
“We’re seeking to hold United and Delta accountable for charging customers premiums for products that they didn’t deliver, and misrepresenting the nature of the products that they did deliver,” Carter Greenbaum, a lawyer at Greenbaum Olbrantz LLP, told the New York Times.
The firm is representing the plaintiffs and class members in both of the lawsuits.
“They sold customers window seats and ended up seating them next to a wall.”
The lawyer said that, just like the other airlines, they could have implemented the same disclosures.
