American Airlines is paying millions to passengers who were wrongly charged to check luggage.
Plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit filed last year say American Airlines charged passengers improper fees to check luggage. American, the largest carrier in the world, is paying at least $7.5 million to settle the case. This includes travelers who qualified for the airline's AAdvantage Gold status loyalty program and those with AA-branded credit cards that came with bag-check privileges. They claim their benefits weren't honored because they weren't properly programmed into AA's airport software system. To make matters worse the airline has had this issue since 2013.
Because of this error, “American Airlines passengers were improperly charged and forced to pay baggage fees," according to their complaint.
American Airlines reached an agreement to do a settlement back in October, and potential claimants have until February to file for their share of the payout.
According to the details in the lawsuit, American Airlines generated over $1.4 billion in baggage fees in 2019 alone. An agreement was reached in August, days before the case was set to go to trial, The Washington Post reported.
How much could you receive from American Airlines?
The settlements need to be approved by the court. When that happens, eligible customers will receive a full refund of all the checked-baggage fees.
According to the American Airlines website, the charge for the first checked piece of luggage on a domestic flight is $30. From there, fees increase to $40 for a second bag, $150 for a third bag, and $200 for a fourth one. Refunds will be issued via mailed checks and electronic payments. While American Airlines has agreed to a $7.5 million floor, currently there is no cap on how much the settlement payout will be.
How to file a claim for the class action lawsuit settlement:
The settlement website provides more details on class members' rights, and it includes an online claim form as well as details on mailing in a form.
Important information to remember:
Claims must be filed online or postmarked by no later than Feb. 22, 2023.
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