Passengers sue Delta and United Airlines over paying extra for window seats with no windows. It’s been happening for years

Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are facing class action lawsuits from more than a million passengers who say they were misled into paying extra for so-called “window seats” that didn’t actually have windows. The suits argue that the airlines knowingly labeled seats next to blank walls as window seats, pocketing millions in fees while customers expected a view.

Windowless window seats

Multiple attorneys representing over a million former passengers filed two class action lawsuits on Tuesday. They accuse Delta and United Airlines of charging more for seats that promised a window without delivering the goods.

While these seats might be furthest from the aisle, some end up next to a blank wall due to window placement or to cover up air conditioning ducts, electrical conduits, and other necessary components. The complaint argues that the airlines should not have labeled these as window seats, and certainly shouldn’t have charged extra.

“Windows can captivate or distract an antsy child,” the suit against Delta reads. “Many people have a fear of flying, or get claustrophobic or motion sick on planes, and windows give them a greater level of comfort in an otherwise stressful environment. Others just want a burst of sunlight to brighten their days.”

“Whatever the motive, had Plaintiff and the class members known they were choosing a windowless seat, they would not have selected it at all, much less paid more money for it.”

Alaska and American Airlines warn customers during the booking process when seats next to the wall don’t have windows. Delta and United don’t, and the lawsuit accuses them of knowingly labeling windowless spots as “window seats” and selling millions of tickets this way.

Class actions take flight

Both filings include screenshots of social media posts from annoyed customers displaying photos of these windowless window seats. A simple search for “window seat no window” on a platform like X brings up many such posts.

On July 2024, @si4rra snapped a photo like this and wrote, “so i paid extra for a window seat….with no window.”

In 2017, @MyFavoriteDJ tweeted a photo of himself sitting at a windowless seat alongside the caption, “Hey @united paid your INSANE $75 charge for a window seat. There’s no window.”

The fact that some of these complaints date back 10 years or more explains why so many users are cheering on these class action lawsuits.

“These are the types of lawsuits we need more of,” wrote @NotZainAgain.

“I would like to join this class action. I have receipts,” @JHartley2 offered.

“Higher prices (and straight up rip-offs), declining quality,” said @ICElationist. “Gotta love it.”

User @katiermckay agreed that “we need more class actions about the quotidian scams that add up to a lifetime of exploitation.”

These lawsuits and reactions may be a sign that customers are at their limit when it comes to added fees and other shenanigans by airlines that keep finding ways to charge folks more for less.