A federal judge in San Francisco has refused to dismiss a class-action lawsuit against United Airlines over windowless seats.
Passengers claim they paid extra for window seats but were seated next to blank cabin walls.
US District Judge James Donato ruled on Monday that the airline's argument—that "window" only describes a seat's position relative to the aisle—was insufficient.
He stated that United's ticketing terms and boarding passes explicitly promised window seats to those who paid premium rates.
The lawsuit was filed in August by passengers who encountered missing windows on Boeing 737, Boeing 757, and Airbus A321 aircraft.
The windowless walls often align with internal components like air conditioning ducts, which the carriers did not disclose during booking.
Similar class actions were also filed against Delta Air Lines, which is pursuing its own dismissal motion in a Brooklyn federal court.
United Airlines declined to comment on the ongoing litigation but noted it has updated its online booking features to provide clearer information.
The airline stated it added "more detail to our seat selection process, so customers can have more information about what to expect when they choose a seat."
Plaintiffs say passengers buy window seats to alleviate flight anxiety, manage motion sickness, enjoy the view, get extra lighting, or keep children entertained.
The lawsuits seek millions of dollars in damages on behalf of over 1 million passengers per carrier.
Judge Donato concluded that no more is needed for the breach claims to proceed at this stage.
