Appeals Court Revives Passenger Suit over Delayed Luggage

Adding to the recent surge of anger at how airlines treat passengers, a federal appeals court this week revived a lawsuit against U.S. Airways, filed by a customer who wanted her checked baggage fee refunded after her bag showed up a day late. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Hayley Hickcox-Huffman could pursue her proposed class-action on behalf of other travelers, because federal law did not pre-empt her state law-based breach-of-contract claim. Baggage fees, typically $25 for the first bag, have been a target of ire of late, including from Congress. During a hearing this week, House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Penn.) said, “If airlines don’t get their act together, we are going to act.” He told top executives from American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and Alaska Airlines, “Seize this opportunity because if you don’t, we’re going to come, and you’re not going to like it.”