United Airlines is currently facing lawsuits over its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, unpaid flight attendant work time, alleged fraud at its pilot training academy, deceptive “window” seat labeling, and domestic airfare price-fixing, alongside a string of recently resolved discrimination and passenger safety cases. Several of these are class actions with the potential to reshape airline industry practices, and a few carry nine-figure exposure.
Vaccine Mandate Religious Discrimination Class Action
The biggest active case against United stems from its August 2021 vaccine mandate. Employees who received religious accommodations but held customer-facing jobs were placed on indefinite unpaid leave. Others were routed into a masking-and-testing protocol. A group of workers sued in the Northern District of Texas, alleging United violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by failing to provide reasonable religious accommodations.
Roughly 5,885 employees requested accommodations, and United granted about 4,070. Of those, 2,221 were placed on unpaid leave and 1,078 were put on masking-and-testing protocols.1U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Kincannon v. United Airlines, No. 24-10708
The fight has centered on whether the case can proceed as a class action. The district court certified a class of customer-facing employees placed on unpaid leave for religious reasons. United appealed, arguing that testing the sincerity of each worker’s religious beliefs would require individualized inquiry. On March 9, 2026, the Fifth Circuit disagreed and affirmed certification of the unpaid-leave subclass, pointing to United’s own accommodation process — which required employees to articulate a religious belief and submit a third-party letter of support — as a common framework for evaluating sincerity across the class.2Law360. 5th Circ. Won’t Unwind Class in United Airlines Vax Bias Suit
The court rejected a broader class seeking punitive damages, a masking-and-testing subclass, and inclusion of employees who sought medical rather than religious exemptions. With the unpaid-leave class intact, the case now moves toward trial on the merits.1U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Kincannon v. United Airlines, No. 24-10708
Flight Attendant Unpaid Wages Class Actions
Two class actions accuse United of paying flight attendants only for “flying hours” — a narrow window that typically begins when the brakes are released at departure and ends when the plane stops at its destination. Pre-flight checks, boarding, deplaning, moving between planes, and waiting out delays go uncompensated, according to the complaints.
Harrison v. United Airlines (Colorado)
Katie Harrison and Carl-Leslie Senosier-Messan filed the Colorado case on May 21, 2024, in Arapahoe County; it was later removed to the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. The complaint alleges violations of the Colorado Wage Act, the Colorado Minimum Wage Act, and state overtime standards, notes that Denver-based flight attendants were entitled to a $18.29 minimum wage, and alleges willful violations that could trigger treble or quadruple damages.3ClassAction.org. Harrison v. United Airlines Complaint
The proposed class covers everyone who worked as a United flight attendant in Colorado from May 2018 to the present. As of early 2026, the case remains in procedural stages, with no ruling on class certification or arbitration.4CourtListener. Harrison v. United Airlines, 1:24-cv-01743
Lawrey v. United Airlines (New Jersey)
Former flight attendant Ava Lawrey filed a similar case in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. The complaint alleges United pays only for the time between the aircraft door closing at departure and opening at arrival, producing “millions of dollars of unpaid wages and overtime” in violation of New Jersey wage and hour laws.5McLaughlin & Stern. McLaughlin Stern Files Class Action Against United Airlines for Unpaid Wages
United moved in December 2025 to push the dispute into arbitration under the collective bargaining agreement. The plaintiffs were opposing that motion as of January 2026.6Law360. Flight Attendants Slam United’s Arbitration Bid in Wage Suit
United Aviate Academy Fraud Suit
Twenty-nine former student pilots are suing United and its pilot training school, the United Aviate Academy (operated by Westwind School of Aeronautics), in federal court in Phoenix. The plaintiffs allege the school fraudulently marketed a one-year program that would lead to commercial pilot careers.
According to the amended complaint, the school enrolled more than 380 students by March 2024 despite a cap of 325, while maintaining only about 20 aircraft. Students reported constant instructor turnover, as few as one or two flights over months-long stretches, and instances of students teaching other students. Some claim they were expelled for “taking too long to advance,” which the plaintiffs allege was really an effort to force enrollment back within the cap.7Spectrum News. United Airlines Fraud Allegations Lawsuit
The school’s accreditor, the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, issued a warning letter and placed the school on probation in August 2024. The school withdrew its accreditation voluntarily in January 2025. United has said it has “the highest confidence” in its training program and is exploring alternative accreditation.
The case, Bhattacharya v. Westwind School of Aeronautics Phoenix, is before Judge Sharad H. Desai. Both defendants filed motions to dismiss in July 2025, and Westwind also moved to compel arbitration for certain plaintiffs. Proceedings were stayed in August 2025 for mediation, but the stay was lifted in January 2026 and briefing continues.8CourtListener. Bhattacharya v. Westwind School of Aeronautics Phoenix, 2:25-cv-00923
Windowless “Window” Seat Class Action
In August 2025, passengers Marc Brenman and Aviva Copaken filed a class action in the Northern District of California alleging United charges premium prices for seats labeled as “window” seats that actually face a blank wall. The complaint says United’s app and website affirmatively represent these seats as having windows during booking with no disclosure. Seat selection fees allegedly exceed $50 on domestic routes and $100 on international routes, with one plaintiff paying between $45.99 and $169.99 per seat across three flights.9ClassAction.org. Brenman v. United Airlines Complaint
The lawsuit notes that American Airlines and Alaska Airlines disclose windowless seats and that United has not done so despite years of customer complaints. The plaintiffs are seeking certification of a nationwide class, compensatory and punitive damages, and an injunction requiring clear disclosures.
Airline Antitrust Price-Fixing Litigation
United is a defendant in the consolidated In re Domestic Airline Travel Antitrust Litigation, pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Plaintiffs allege that United, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines conspired to fix domestic airfare prices by colluding to limit capacity in violation of the Sherman Act.10BFA Law. In Re Domestic Airline Travel Antitrust Litigation
The Department of Justice investigated the alleged coordination beginning in 2015 but reportedly did not find sufficient evidence to bring a case. The private litigation has continued. Southwest settled for $15 million and American for $45 million. United and Delta remain in the case, and in September 2023 the district court denied both airlines’ motions for summary judgment in full, sending the claims toward trial.
Recent Discrimination Cases
EEOC Racial Discrimination Settlement
In January 2026, United settled a racial discrimination lawsuit brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of Alsunbayar Davaabat, a Mongolian American driver at United’s Denver catering facility. The EEOC alleged that in January 2021, a senior manager named Terry McGurk called Davaabat a racial slur and physically assaulted him — twisting his arm and slapping his back — during a dispute about face masks. Co-workers had repeatedly called Davaabat “Chinaman,” claiming his real nickname was too difficult to pronounce.11NBC News. United Airlines Employee Faced Asian Slurs, Was Assaulted
The EEOC’s complaint highlighted United’s delayed response: the airline did not begin an internal investigation until more than a month after the incident. McGurk was eventually offered a separation agreement letting him retire in lieu of termination in July 2021. Davaabat resigned, alleging the company’s inaction left him no choice.12Colorado Sun. United Airlines Settles Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Over Denver Employee
Under a three-year consent decree, United agreed to pay $99,000 and provide 75,000 flight miles to Davaabat. The airline must also review its equal employment opportunity policies, submit regular compliance reports to the EEOC, and amend its workplace violence policy to require investigations into actual or threatened physical violence within 72 hours of a complaint.13EEOC. United Airlines to Pay $99,000 in EEOC Discrimination Case
Tien Disability Discrimination Case and Costs Fight
Former flight attendant Yihsing Tien sued United in California district court for disability discrimination and retaliation after her January 2022 termination. Tien had suffered severe injuries to her knees, elbow, shoulder, and wrist during a fall at a crew layover hotel in late 2018 and was on medical leave when she was fired. She alleged she had received a letter granting leave until January 2023, but United’s contractual leave limit was three years, expiring in January 2022.14People. United Airlines Demands $22K in Legal Fees After Former Flight Attendant Filed Discrimination Lawsuit
On February 2, 2026, the court ruled in United’s favor and dismissed the claims. United then filed a bill of costs seeking $21,926.34 from the unemployed former flight attendant. A court clerk reduced the figure to $12,516.47. Tien’s attorneys challenged even that amount, noting United had posted $59.1 billion in operating revenue in 2025. In April 2026, Judge Jeffrey White granted Tien’s motion for full review of the costs, citing her “limited means” and the risk of “chilling important civil rights litigation.” The case is now on appeal before the Ninth Circuit, with briefing scheduled through mid-2026.
Miao Racial Discrimination Claim Dismissed
In a split decision issued in 2026, the Seventh Circuit affirmed dismissal of a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by Yubo Miao, an American citizen of Chinese descent, who alleged that United flight attendants targeted him for removal from a flight because of his race. Judge Thomas L. Kirsch II, writing for the majority, held that Miao failed to plausibly allege his removal was based on race under federal civil rights law.15Bloomberg Law. United Airlines Escapes Appeal of Racial Discrimination Lawsuit
Judge Kenneth Ripple dissented, arguing the majority had improperly applied a summary judgment standard to a motion to dismiss. He wrote that Miao’s complaint contained a “clear and comprehensive account” that met federal pleading requirements and pointed to a suspicious greeting from a flight attendant, differential treatment compared to white passengers, and the flight attendant’s alleged fabrication of a physical altercation as facts supporting a plausible inference of racial discrimination.16U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Miao v. United Airlines, No. 25-1649 (Dissent)
Disabled Passenger Litigation and DOT Rule Challenge
United paid $30 million in August 2023 to settle a suit brought by Nathaniel Foster Jr., a quadriplegic ventilator-dependent passenger. In 2019, while deplaning in Louisiana, a United gate agent allegedly pushed Foster’s wheelchair aggressively, causing him to jerk forward and slump in his seat. Foster whispered “I can’t breathe” before suffering a heart attack. He sustained permanent brain damage, lost the ability to speak or eat solid foods, and had his life expectancy shortened. According to the lawsuit, the gate agent giggled during the incident and told a doctor who offered help, “we got this.” The settlement followed a one-day trial in San Francisco federal court.17CBS News. United Airlines Pays $30 Million Settlement to Disabled Man Left in Coma
United has also joined five other major carriers and the Airlines for America trade group in a Fifth Circuit lawsuit challenging a December 2024 Department of Transportation rule that requires hands-on training for handling wheelchair passengers, prompt boarding and deplaning assistance, and reimbursement for damaged wheelchairs. The airlines argue the rule exceeds DOT’s statutory authority. In June 2025, the Fifth Circuit granted DOT’s motion to stay proceedings while the agency reviews the rule. DOT has delayed enforcement of four provisions until December 31, 2026, while it develops a revised regulation.18Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse. Airlines for America v. DOT, No. 25-60071
The Dr. David Dao Settlement
The most publicly notorious United case arose from Flight 3411 at Chicago O’Hare on April 9, 2017. Dr. David Dao, 69, was forcibly dragged off the plane by Chicago Department of Aviation officers to make room for airline crew. Cellphone video went viral worldwide. Dao suffered a concussion, a broken nose, and lost two front teeth.19BBC. United Airlines and David Dao Reach Settlement
United and Dao reached an “amicable settlement” on April 27, 2017, just 18 days after the incident. Financial terms were never disclosed. CEO Oscar Munoz called the event a “system failure” and acknowledged he had “messed up” the initial response. United pledged to stop using law enforcement to remove overbooked passengers, raised its maximum volunteer compensation to $10,000, and rolled out an automated system to solicit volunteers at check-in.20The Guardian. United Airlines and Doctor Dragged Off Flight Reach Settlement
Penalty History at a Glance
United’s exposure adds up. According to tracking data from Good Jobs First, the airline has accumulated over $121 million in penalties across 20 employment-related matters since 2000. Employment discrimination accounts for 11 entries and roughly $46.7 million, topped by a $36.5 million settlement in a gender discrimination case involving weight requirements applied to female but not male flight attendants. Wage and hour violations account for seven entries totaling about $69.1 million, the largest being a $54.4 million private lawsuit settlement in 2023.21Good Jobs First Violation Tracker. United Airlines Holdings Violation Tracker
The vaccine mandate class action, the two flight attendant wage suits, the Aviate Academy fraud case, and the antitrust litigation are all unresolved, and each could produce significant additional exposure in the years ahead.