NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) - A Louisiana woman is suing American Airlines, alleging it did not refund certain fees after a canceled flight.
Linda Hebert, individually and for all others similarly situated, filed a class action lawsuit Jan. 14 in U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana against American Airlines, alleging breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and violations of Louisiana's Unfair Trade Practices Act.
On Oct. 17, 2014, the suit states, Hebert was a group leader for 17 people who purchased 17 round-trip airline tickets through American Airlines to and from Lafayette, Louisiana and Roatan, Honduras.
According to the suit, American Airlines requires ticket reservations and purchases for groups of 10 or more people be made by telephone, which costs an additional service fee of $35 per each person in the group. On Dec. 3, 2014, the suit says, American Airlines notified Hebert their return flight from Dallas to Lafayette had been canceled, so they could either accept the change in flight and stay overnight in Dallas at their expense, or get a full refund on all tickets.
The suit states Hebert and her group opted to get a full refund on all tickets, but American Airlines did not refund the $35 per person telephone reservation service charge, even though the schedule change was the sole fault of the airline.
The lawsuit states Hebert has since requested reimbursement for the service charge, but American has refused to tender a refund.
Hebert and others in the class seek damages, attorney fees, and costs of the suit. They are represented by attorney Charles Benjamin Landry of Lafayette.
The defendant filed to have the case removed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana because Hebert's allegations are governed by the federal Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 and the transportation out of which this suit arose was "international transportation."
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana case number 2:16-CV-00345-KDE-DEK