Spirit Airlines Lawsuit Over Carry-On Bag Fees
Update: Spirit Airlines has agreed to a proposed $8.25 million settlement. You are part of the settlement class if you:
- booked a flight on Spirit Airlines through Expedia, Kiwi, CheapOair, CheapTickets, Travelocity, or Bookit between August 31, 2011 and May 3, 2017, and paid a carry-on bag fee;
- were a resident of the United States or a U.S. Territory at the time you booked your flight; and
- that flight was your first flight on Spirit after August 1, 2010, you are a member of the class and will be entitled to money, unless the statute of limitations for contract claims in your State or Territory precludes you from recovering.
Click here to determine if the statute of limitations for the State or Territory in which you resided when you booked your first Spirit flight during the period August 31, 2011, to May 3, 2017, has any impact on your ability to receive a settlement share.
To qualify for payment, you must submit a claim by clicking here and completing the entire form, by January 10, 2024.
Original post: A federal appeals court has revived a lawsuit by Spirit Airlines passengers who accuse the low-cost carrier of charging unexpected carry-on bag fees on tickets bought through OTAs such as Cheapoair, Expedia, Priceline and Travelocity. They claim these fees often exceeded the cost of their tickets, and totaled millions of dollars a year.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said 22 passengers could sue for breach of contract because there was no evidence that Spirit promptly notified them about the fees, and there were “ambiguities” in the prices they would pay. They know that its online travel agents hide the “gotcha” bag fees people would have to pay at the airport.
Spirit countered that federal law precluded the lawsuit, and that its “contract of carriage” specifically provided that a passenger could take one carry-on bag into the cabin, for a fee.
Compared with many carriers, Spirit relies more on ancillary fees to offset the financial drag from lower base fares. Other low-cost carrier follow the same business model.
Check if you are eligible for more settlement rebates.
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