United Airlines Sued For Selling Window Seats Without Windows

Case Overview: A class action lawsuit claims United Airlines misled passengers by selling premium-priced “window seats” that, in some aircraft rows, have no windows at all. 

Consumers Affected: California residents who, within the past four years, paid extra for a window seat on United Airlines flights but were assigned a seat without a window.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of San Francisco

United Airlines sold passengers so-called “window seats” that don’t actually have windows, a new lawsuit filed in California alleges. The complaint says the airline charged customers extra for these seats, marketed as premium options, only for some travelers to discover a blank wall beside them instead of the view they paid for. 

By framing the case as product misrepresentation rather than airline service, the lawsuit sidesteps federal preemption under the Airline Deregulation Act.

Lawsuit Says Passengers Paid More Only To Face A Blank Wall

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of California residents who, within the past four years, paid extra for a window seat but ended up with no view. Plaintiffs argue that airlines know certain rows lack windows because of aircraft design quirks, like air conditioning ducts, electrical conduits, or fuselage reinforcements, but fail to disclose this during seat selection. 

While some passengers simply want the extra light, others choose window seats to ease motion sickness, keep children occupied, or calm flight anxiety. According to the complaint, if they had known these seats were “windowless,” they would not have selected them, much less paid extra for the experience.

Missing Windows Common On Boeing 737s, 757s, And Airbus A321s

The problem is particularly common on Boeing 737s, with seat 11A frequently cited as a windowless trap. Similar issues appear on Boeing 757s and Airbus A321s, where row spacing shifts or structural design features result in walls replacing windows. 

United’s booking system continues to label these spots as window seats, leading customers to assume they’ll get the view that has long defined the category. 

While competitors like Alaska Airlines and American Airlines often flag these seats during booking, the lawsuit says United has failed to offer the same transparency. Critics argue a simple fix would be marking them clearly on seat maps, as websites like SeatGuru already do.

Consumer Protection Laws Invoked Against United Airlines Marketing

This isn’t the only lawsuit United has faced recently. Earlier in 2025, its United Aviate Academy, a pilot training program, was hit with legal claims from 18 former students across nine states. 

That case accused the school of deceptive trade practices and false promises about streamlined training paths to commercial airline careers. The students allege they poured significant time and money into a program that was underfunded and disorganized, leaving them without the opportunities they were promised.

In the current case, plaintiffs are limiting the class to California residents who paid for these misleading window seat assignments in the past four years. Free seat assignments for elite status members are excluded. 

The lawsuit invokes California’s strong consumer protection laws, including the Consumers’ Legal Remedies Act and False Advertising Law, to argue that United’s marketing was misleading. Ultimately, the plaintiffs are suing to get their money back, stop the practice, and hold United accountable for charging passengers extra to stare at a wall.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Brenman v. United Airlines Inc.
• Case Number: 25-06995
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of San Francisco

Have you ever paid extra for a window seat on United Airlines and ended up without one? Share your story in the comments below.