Category: Discrimination

Court grants airline’s motion to dismiss boarding discrimination claims

December 22, 2017

Shin v. American Airlines Group, Inc. (E.D.N.Y. Aug. 3, 2017).  The customer/plaintiff alleged that American “dramatically” refused to allow him to board a flight from DFW to Corpus Christi, Texas, “[f]or the mere fact that the Plaintiff was Korean-American,” while allowing white customers to board the flight.  In his complaint, the plaintiff alleged claims under … More Court grants airline’s motion to dismiss boarding discrimination claims

Court shows the door to passenger’s exit row seating claims

April 3, 2015

Naqvi v. Turkish Airlines, Inc. (D.D.C. Feb. 23, 2015).  While checking in for his Turkish Airlines flight from Washington Dulles International Airport to Istanbul, Turkey, the passenger/plaintiff requested an exit row seat.  According to the plaintiff, airline personnel denied his request but promised him a “leg space seat.”  The plaintiff alleged that, upon boarding the … More Court shows the door to passenger’s exit row seating claims

Passenger’s racial discrimination claims based on airline deplaning come up short

October 29, 2014

Mercer v. Southwest Airlines Co. (N.D. Cal. Sept. 19, 2014).  In his amended complaint, the plaintiff, an African American, alleged that he and fiancée boarded the Southwest LAX-IAH flight with two carry-on bags apiece.  The plaintiff stowed his bags in an overhead compartment and then, “as a gentleman,” proceeded to do the same with one … More Passenger’s racial discrimination claims based on airline deplaning come up short

Race discrimination claim preempted by Warsaw Convention

March 8, 2011

Sewer v. LIAT (1974) Ltd. (D. Virgin Islands Feb. 16, 2011).  The plaintiff had purchased a ticket for a LIAT flight from the British Virgin Islands to Antigua.  The flight was overbooked, so airline personnel informed the plaintiff that he would have to take a later flight.  Undeterred, the plaintiff (and the other waiting would-be … More Race discrimination claim preempted by Warsaw Convention

Court holds that no implied ACAA private right of action exists

May 9, 2008

Wright v. American Airlines, Inc. (E.D. Mo. Mar. 3, 2008).  The plaintiff filed suit for herself and her minor son against American, alleging that her son was injured because he was denied accommodations for his disability, osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as “Brittle Bone Disease,” while traveling on American’s flights.  She alleged a cause of action … More Court holds that no implied ACAA private right of action exists

Airline obtains reversal of passenger jury verdict in refusal to transport case

February 11, 2008

Cerqueira v. American Airlines, Inc. (1st Cir. (Mass.) Jan. 10, 2008).  As previously reported, in December 2003, American Airlines removed three passengers, a man of Portuguese national origin and two Israelis seated nearby, from an aircraft at the departure gate in Boston for questioning by state police officers.  After the questioning, the airline declined to … More Airline obtains reversal of passenger jury verdict in refusal to transport case

Airline obtains summary judgment in offended passenger case

April 15, 2007

Maduro v. American Airlines, Inc. (Virgin Islands Super. Feb. 26, 2007).  During a layover in Puerto Rico, the passenger approached American’s ticket counter to verify her connecting flight to the Virgin Islands.  The ticket agent supposedly refused to return the passenger’s ticket and told her “to shut up and take a seat” and that she … More Airline obtains summary judgment in offended passenger case

Jury returns verdict for passenger in refusal to transport case

January 21, 2007

Cerqueira v. American Airlines, Inc. (D. Mass. Jan. 12, 2007).  In December 2003, the airline removed three passengers, a man of Portuguese national origin and two Israelis seated nearby, from an aircraft at the departure gate in Boston for questioning by state police officers.  After the questioning, the airline declined to rebook them on another flight to Ft. Lauderdale. The passenger of Portuguese national origin filed a … More Jury returns verdict for passenger in refusal to transport case

Airline summary judgment motion granted in boarding discrimination case

January 7, 2007

Dasrath v. Continental Airlines, Inc. (D. N.J. Dec. 22, 2006).  Three months after September 11, an airline captain had three passengers removed from the aircraft during boarding due to his security concerns.  One of the passengers, a U.S. citizen of West Indian national origin, filed a lawsuit against the airline alleging discrimination in violation of federal and state statutes. The … More Airline summary judgment motion granted in boarding discrimination case