New York, Saturday, August 10, 2024 – Delta Air Lines is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit from passengers who claim the airline refused to issue full refunds after their flights were delayed or canceled due to a massive computer outage last month.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in federal court in Atlanta, alleges Delta breached its contract by not providing automatic refunds and offering only partial refunds if passengers waived their right to pursue further legal claims. The plaintiffs are also seeking compensation for additional expenses incurred, such as rebooking fees, hotel stays, and meals.
One plaintiff, John Brennan from Florida, said he and his wife missed a $10,000 anniversary cruise after being stranded in Atlanta, receiving just $219.45 in compensation from Delta.
The suit accuses the airline of “unfair, unlawful, and unconscionable practices,” resulting in Delta profiting at the expense of its customers.
Delta has not commented on the lawsuit but previously stated that passengers affected by the outage could request refunds and compensation for incidental costs.
The outage, attributed to a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, disrupted more than 8 million computers worldwide and led to over 6,000 Delta flight cancellations.
Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian, estimated the outage cost the airline approximately $500 million. Passengers have also filed a separate class action against CrowdStrike, seeking damages.
The case is Bajra et al v Delta Air Lines, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia, No. 24-03477.
