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By Robert Alexander
Senior Crime & Court Reporter
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Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are facing federal class action lawsuits alleging they misled passengers by selling "window seats" that in reality had no windows.
The lawsuits, filed this week in New York and California, accuse the two carriers of charging millions of travelers premium fees for seating options they labeled as "window seats," while failing to disclose that some of those seats left passengers staring at a cabin sidewall. Plaintiffs claim the practice amounts to false advertising, deceptive business conduct and breach of contract.
Why It Matters
The lawsuits go beyond a quirky complaint about missing windows. They cut to the heart of how airlines market and monetize seat selection, a multibillion-dollar revenue stream. Passengers argue they paid extra for a feature that didn't exist, raising broader questions about consumer rights, transparency in pricing, and whether charging premiums for "window seats" without windows amounts to false advertising. The outcome could set an industry precedent and force carriers to rethink how they label and sell preferred seating.
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What To Know
The Lawsuits
The case against Delta Air Lines was filed in the Eastern District of New York by Nicholas Meyer, a Brooklyn resident. According to his complaint, Meyer booked a Boeing 757 seat specifically labeled as a window seat and paid extra for the privilege, only to find that on his August 16 flight from Atlanta to Orange County the seat had no window at all. He alleges Delta intentionally marketed and sold such seats as "window" options despite knowing they lacked windows.
The United Airlines case was filed in the Northern District of California on behalf of Aviva Copaken of Los Angeles and Marc Brenman of San Francisco. Copaken said she paid between $45 and $169 for window seats on several United flights, only to find herself next to a solid cabin sidewall on each trip. Brenman, who used loyalty points for his "window" selection on a transcontinental flight, said he was similarly misled.
Both complaints accuse the airlines of systematically selling "windowless window seats" across large portions of their fleets, including Boeing 737, Boeing 757, and Airbus A321 aircraft. They estimate more than one million passengers of each airline may have been affected.
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Lucrative Business
Seat selection fees have become a lucrative business for airlines, with customers paying anywhere from $15 to over $100 to secure preferred spots. Window seats are especially prized for their views, light, and comfort.
But the complaints argue that Delta and United misrepresented what they were selling. Both carriers allegedly labeled cabin wall-adjacent seats as "window" options during booking—even when the physical aircraft design (because of air ducts, wiring, or structural components) meant no window was present.
"Had plaintiffs and the class members known that the seats they were purchasing were windowless, they would not have selected them—much less paid extra," the United complaint states.
"Whatever the motive, had plaintiffs 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," Delta's complaint reads.
Attorneys argue that mislabeling a seat goes beyond inconvenience. Because the extra fee is charged separately, they contend the representation of a seat as a "window" seat becomes part of the contract of sale—making the failure to provide an actual window a breach.
Competitors Disclose
The filings emphasize that Delta and United's competitors, such as American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, acknowledge when certain wall-adjacent seats lack a window. Alaska has explained publicly that ductwork in Boeing 737 aircraft prevents the installation of a window in specific rows and marks those seats accordingly.
By contrast, Delta and United allegedly continued to market all wall-adjacent seats as "window" seats, collecting fees without issuing refunds when customers complained. United once tweeted in response to a customer: "Sorry. We never guaranteed you will get a window".
What People Are Saying
Carter Greenbaum, one of the lawyers spearheading the litigation, told Newsweek in an exclusive email: "These airlines could address the matter by providing adequate compensation to all past affected travelers who paid extra for a window, and by stopping this practice and accurately advertising the services they offer going forward (as their peer airlines already do)."
Greenbaumtold Reuters: "A company can't misrepresent the nature of the products it sells and then rely on third-party reviews to say a customer should have known it was lying."
His co-counsel Casey Olbrantz told NBC: "We're seeking to hold United and Delta accountable for an unfair and misleading business practice they could fix overnight".
What Happens Next
The suits seek nationwide class certification and both compensatory and exemplary damages, potentially covering millions of passengers who paid extra for window seats on Delta or United over several years. The airlines are expected to challenge the complaints by moving to dismiss or contesting class certification, arguing that seat labeling and design variations do not amount to fraud.
For now, attorneys are inviting affected passengers—particularly California residents within the past four years—to join the actions. Travelers are also being urged to consult independent seat guides like SeatGuru to avoid paying for a "window" that isn't there. While windowless window seats are not a new phenomenon, the litigation could prove pivotal in deciding whether airlines must fully disclose when a premium feature they charge for simply doesn't exist.
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