Southwest is Latest Airline Sued for Refusing Refunds
The Department of Transportation has clarified that airlines must give customers refunds when flights are canceled or significantly delayed during the coronavirus pandemic. But airlines have tried to hold on to their cash by enticing or even forcing customers to settle for travel credit instead. With the law on their side, customers have already filed lawsuits against United Airlines and Delta Air Lines.
Now a Pennsylvania man has filed the latest lawsuit against Southwest Airlines for that same reason. The suit alleges that the airline refused to give him a cash refund for a canceled flight from Baltimore to Havana, Cuba. The route was temporarily suspended on March 22. Lawyers are seeking class action status for thousands of passengers who have fought and failed to get cash refunds from the airline.
Southwest Airlines is in fact one of the most accommodating airlines when it comes to refunds. As long as you cancel your flight more than 10 minutes before its scheduled departure time, you will have the option to receive a refund to your original form of payment or Travel Funds for future use.
But the lawsuit claims the airline is refusing to offer cash refunds even though its own contract says it has to. “When Southwest cancels the flight, no matter what kind of ticket you have, they have to offer you a refund if you decline other options,” said Hassan Zavareei, a Washington, D.C.-based lawyer.
Southwest offered two options to the plaintiff, Adrian Bombin. The customer could re-book the cancelled flight to a flight that Southwest has not canceled, or receive travel credits that can be used through June 30, 2021. Although these options compensate consumers, the lawsuit argues that these remedies are insufficient. Additionally, Southwest’s refusal to give refunds violates federal regulations.
Lawsuit Information
The Southwest Airlines Trip Cancelation Refund Class Action Lawsuit is Adrian Bombin v. Southwest Airlines Co., Case No. 5:20-cv-01883, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
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[…] Miglia ai ricordi, l’azienda con sede a Dallas ha offerto due opzioni ad Adrian Bombin, che prevedeva di volare […]
I tried to cancel my 2 round trip tickets for July and get a refund which would put $800 back in my pocket and they told me that my flight is not affected by the virus. They went on and said that I have non- refundable tickets and that if I end up cancelling i would get credit to book a future flight. However, they emailed me today and switched my return non-stop flight to a one stop flight. Myself and significant other both have autoimmune conditions and we don’t want to risk it because we know we will still be in a shutdown in july. Help me get my money back!!!!!!
I hate class action lawsuits. The only one that wins is the lawyer. When the airlines are all go bankrupt, there won’t be any money for refunds anyways.