Delta and United Airlines Sued for Offering 'Window Seats' Without Windows

Two major airlines face lawsuits filed by dissatisfied passengers claiming misrepresentation of window seats, raising questions about transparency in seat selection.

In a notable turn of events, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are under fire from passengers who have filed lawsuits alleging they were duped into paying extra fees for what they believed were window seats, only to find themselves seated next to blank walls. The lawsuits, filed separately against the two leading U.S. carriers, are seeking millions of dollars in compensation for more than one million affected customers.

The root of the complaint lies in the airlines' failure to disclose that certain seats on some Boeing and Airbus aircraft are situated in positions devoid of windows due to the placement of air conditioning ducts, wiring, or other components. Passengers claim that this crucial information is not indicated during the booking process, misleading them into paying a premium for window seats that do not offer the expected view.

According to the claims, the plaintiffs assert that the airlines classify every seat positioned along the sides of their planes as a "window seat," even when some of them do not feature actual windows. This practice, they argue, is deceptive and unlawful, particularly given that many passengers choose window seats for specific reasons, including alleviating a fear of flying, managing motion sickness, entertaining children, or simply to enjoy the view outside.

Both Delta and United have opted not to comment publicly on the ongoing legal matters, although the lawsuit indicates that travelers might have abstained from selecting or paying additional fees for these specific seats if they had been informed that they lacked windows. Legal representatives for the lawsuits note that other airlines, like American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, have more transparent policies, explicitly indicating when a seat does not come with a window during the booking process. The outcome of these lawsuits might provoke a change in the industry standard for seat transparency in future airline bookings.