American Airlines has been hit with a $5 million class-action over lost bags and its refusal to reimburse the baggage fees it charged. The lawsuit against American Airlines is the first since the airline started charging fees for handling and transporting luggage in June 2008, one of the first airlines to impose such fees. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Danielle Covarrubias of Pierce County, Wash., who paid a $25 fee for her single piece of luggage on a flight to Grand Rapids, Mich. The bag never arrived, and the airline refused her demand for a refund of the baggage fee, the lawsuit says.
The case is interesting because it demonstrates that consumers can use the class action device to encourage large corporations to improve their customer service.