United being sued for bumping passenger baggage
A passenger is taking United Airlines to court, accusing the carrier of bumping her checked baggage in favor of more lucrative cargo.
Gina Spadoni of Chicago claims United left her luggage off the flight due to weight regulations and prioritized cargo instead.
She had paid a $25 fee for the checked baggage and did not receive a refund, in line with the airline’s policy.
Spadoni flew from Chicago to Los Angeles in September and later discovered her bag remained in Chicago awaiting another flight.
The court action alleges profit is the reason, as cargo customers are issued a refund for late shipments but passenger baggage delays are non-refundable.
"United knows that the removal of cargo from the aircraft’s cargo compartment would result in reduced profits, because United receives substantially more money relative to its transportation of cargo than it receives relative to its transportation of checked baggage," the complaint said.
"This is a business decision — United gets to keep all the fees, ship the cargo and still get money from the passengers whose luggage was delayed," said lawyer Tom Zimmerman.
The lawsuit is looking to recover fees for the delayed luggage and to require United to change their policy to refund passengers in the future.
The complaint hopes to get class-action status, which would "likely effect of thousands of individuals."
United dismissed the claims and said in a statement: "We believe this lawsuit is without merit, and we will vigorously defend against it."
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026