Delta to pay $79 million to resolve lawsuit over jet fuel spill near schools

Delta Airlines Settles Class Action Lawsuit for $79 Million

Delta Airlines has reached an agreement to pay $79 million to resolve a class action lawsuit stemming from an incident in 2020. The lawsuit was filed after one of its planes, while experiencing engine issues, dumped fuel over a densely populated area near Los Angeles.

On January 14, 2020, a Delta flight was headed from Los Angeles to Shanghai but had to return to Los Angeles International Airport shortly after takeoff. The Boeing 777-200 landed safely after releasing 15,000 gallons of fuel to safely reduce its landing weight.

This incident prompted firefighters from Los Angeles County to respond to a school in Cudahy, where nearly 60 children and teachers sought checks for mild skin and lung irritation. Fortunately, no one required hospitalization.

A teacher at Park Avenue Elementary School filed a lawsuit soon after, claiming exposure to jet fuel which he described as overwhelming due to the accompanying smoke. He mentioned feeling the fuel on his clothes, skin, and even in his eyes. Subsequently, a number of homeowners from Cudahy joined in to file a class action lawsuit.

The teacher said he sought medical assistance after the event and experienced both physical and emotional distress.

Delta Airlines announced on Monday that they agreed to the settlement, explaining that one of the two engines lost thrust shortly after takeoff, resulting in the aircraft exceeding its maximum landing weight by about 160,000 pounds due to having enough fuel for a 13-hour journey.

The aircraft’s weight poses risks during landing, which can lead to potentially costly repairs. Even if damage is avoided, airlines prefer to circumvent overweight landings since the aircraft would still require a thorough inspection.

The pilot decided to dump the fuel to mitigate the significant risk associated with flying and landing an overweight aircraft on a single engine, according to details shared by the airline in court filings.

Delta clarified in these documents that the settlement was reached without admitting liability, aiming to cut down on legal costs and lessen the disruptions the lawsuit brought to its operations.