American Airlines has become the latestcarrier to face a class-action lawsuit after a frustrated passenger was left without a return flight from Lima, Peru. The passenger is now seeking a refund for canceled flight due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the complaint, the carrier failed to provide Ward and other customers with a refund for their canceled flights, instead"…limiting and forcing customers into a rebooked flight or travel voucher instead of returning their money."
On January 14, 2020, the plaintiff, Arizona resident Lee Ward, purchased tickets for a March 12, 2020, flight to Lima, Peru from Las Vegas with a layover in Los Angeles on a separate airline. He booked his returning flights with American, from Peru to Miami and then Miami to Las Vegas. American canceled his flight after Ward had already arrived in Peru.
The roundtrip had totaled to $1,052. "At Plaintiff's own expense he booked a return flight home from Peru on different airlines," the suit states. "Since returning from Peru, American has refused to refund Plaintiff for its portion of his canceled flight back to Las Vegas."
Ward had planned another trip to Lime from May to August 2020, for which he paid American and other airlines $2,176.36. Ward attempted to cancel his trip due to Arizona's current stay-at-home order; however, American has not refunded him for the tickets he had purchased through them.
According to attorneys at Hagens Berman, all airline passengers are entitled to refunds amid the coronavirus crisis. American Airlines' Condition of Carriage also states that passengers can receive a full refund if the airliner cancels or changes the time of a flight by over four hours.
The Department of Transportation also informs passengers: "If your flight is canceled and you choose to cancel your trip as a result, you are entitled to a refund for the unused transportation-even for non-refundable tickets.
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