Consumer Law, Warranties Looking to Sue an International Airline.

[dannydee]

I would like to sue a certain airline company for messing up my international flight to asia from Dallas DFW airport.
They had a single online check-in line which was pretty short. I had checked in online and was diverted to that line. However that single line took 1.5 hours, essentially, I became the last passenger to be attended to, while everybody in other lines had moved on. Upon checking my papers they refused to allow boarding because visa papers I had, referred to an old passport which I had not carried to the airport.
Had this issue been noticed earlier, like if had been attended to on any other line, I would have still had time to have someone from home bring me the old passport. In the end, the airline said it was the passengers fault and refused to help me rebook tickets for the next days flight. They coolly said the next days flight was full and my ticket needed to be re-booked by the agent that had originally booked the ticket. I ended up spending $3500 in additional money to re-book for the next day in an alternate route thru the same airline. I had to do it since I had let the rest of the family members travel that day.
I put in a complaint and they seem to be not interested in accepting that the single online-check-in line delay was atleast partly to blame for my situation.

I would like to sue them and I am looking to find a lawyer to represent me. Also what kind of legal fees am I looking at and typical fee structures. Having never sued anybody before, I have questions like
Can a case be filed in Dallas though the airline is international and complaints office is in NY ?
Wondering if they might settle, if I get a lawyer to talk to them about it. All I am asking is for them to refund the excess money $3500 I had to pay towards new tickets. Would that be small claims court ? If its a real suit then, there's all the hassle,anxiety I had to go through, lost work day etc. Any good recommendations on law offices in Dallas for something like this?


Thanks,
Danny D

 

[Proserpina]

Hang on - why exactly is it their fault that you didn't bring the correct documentation?

 

[army judge]

Sue anyone you want to in TX via mall claims, no lawyer required.

Here you go:

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/small-claims-suits-how-much-30031.html

 

[Proserpina]

I suppose I'm still not seeing how the airline was at fault.

Airlines suffer delays - it's one of those things. The airline surely cannot be held responsible for the OP not having the correct documentation with him?

 

[army judge]

I suppose I'm still not seeing how the airline was at fault.

Airlines suffer delays - it's one of those things. The airline surely cannot be held responsible for the OP not having the correct documentation with him?

He or she can sue. He or she will lose. You're right, the airline isn't responsible, and is probably protected from such a lawsuit contractually, or under some regulatory exemption. If he or she wants to throw about $5,000, maybe $10,000 at an ambulance chasing colleague, that's possible, too. In a few days, he or she will cool down, and forget this folly.

But, but, but it's our right to be heard in court. It's the principle that matters, they done done somebody wrong, Pro. Now he or she is gonna make them pay. :yes: :blush

 

[cbg]

Let's break this down.

Danny, you absolutely can sue them. You can sue them because no law says you cannnot.

However, if you sue them, you will lose.

The only person who had a responsibility to notice that you had old or expired documentation was you yourself.