United Airlines is asking a federal judge to throw out a lawsuit over extra fees charged for “window seats” that don’t actually have windows. The case, filed in August along with a similar one against Delta Air Lines, involves passengers who found themselves sitting by blank walls on certain Boeing 737, Boeing 757, and Airbus A321 aircraft. These passengers say the lack of windows wasn’t made clear when they booked their seats.
In a recent filing in San Francisco federal court, United argued that it never promised window views for seats labeled as “window.” The airline explained that the term simply describes a seat’s location next to the plane’s side, not a guarantee of an outside view. United also pointed out that federal law usually blocks claims about airline fees like charges for preferred seating.
These fees, known as ancillary revenue, help airlines keep basic ticket prices lower while making extra money from add-ons.
The lawyer representing the passengers, Carter Greenbaum, disagrees. He says United’s explanation misleads travelers who paid extra expecting a real window. Many buy window seats to avoid motion sickness, keep kids entertained, or just enjoy looking outside. Greenbaum also represents Delta passengers suing over the same issue in Brooklyn federal court.
The lawsuits seek millions of dollars in damages and cover more than a million passengers on each airline. The passengers say they would have picked different seats or not paid extra at all if they knew there wouldn’t be a view.
The dispute raises questions about how airlines describe seat choices and what passengers can expect when paying for what seem to be premium spots. The court will now decide if these cases can move forward or if the airlines’ arguments will hold.