Class Action Claims Scandinavian Airlines Owes Refunds for Flights Canceled Amid Pandemic

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Scandinavian Airlines faces a proposed class action over its alleged failure to refund customers for flights canceled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. 

The 15-page lawsuit claims defendants Scandinavian Airlines System Inc. and Scandinavian Airlines of North America have failed to return customers’ money for flight tickets despite the passing of many months since the flights were initially canceled and demands that refunds be issued. The suit argues the airline has no justification for failing to issue ticket refunds and “should not be allowed to profit from the global pandemic” at the expense of customers. 

Per the case, Scandinavian Airlines began to cancel flights at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. The suit alleges the defendants have been unresponsive to customer requests for refunds, and have thus unlawfully retained and profited from money that belongs to proposed class members. 

According to the complaint, the U.S. Department of Transportation, prior to the pandemic, advised consumers of their right to receive a refund for a canceled flight, stating on its official website that even the cost of non-refundable tickets should be returned in the event a flight is canceled. 

“Such rights did not change with the pandemic,” the lawsuit asserts, noting that the DOT reiterated last April that airlines are obligated to issue prompt refunds to those whose flights are/were canceled or significantly changed due to the COVID-19 crisis. 

The lawsuit relays that the plaintiff purchased prior to the pandemic two roundtrip tickets for him and his wife to travel from Newark, New Jersey to Oslo, Norway in July 2020. The total cost of the tickets paid to Scandinavian Airlines was $2,178,03, the suit says. 

Late last June, the plaintiff was informed by the defendants that his flights were canceled due to COVID-19, the case continues. Although the plaintiff immediately inquired about receiving a refund, the man soon found himself in a back and forth between the defendants and the third-party agent from whom he bought the tickets, which continued for a month or more, the lawsuit claims. The suit says the plaintiff’s saga continued into February of this year, and came to involve notices claiming the man was close to receiving his refund and requests for more information.

“To date, eight months later, Plaintiff has not received a refund from Defendants,” the lawsuit alleges. 

The complaint looks to cover all U.S. customers of Scandinavian Airlines who bought tickets for air travel scheduled to take place between March 1, 2020 and the present and whose flights were canceled by the defendants, and who have not received a refund. 

Since its initial filing in New York State Supreme Court on April 14, the lawsuit has been removed to the state’s Southern District Court. 

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