SOUTHWEST AIRLINES SOBERS UP: Class Action Update By Attorney Charles Jerome Ware

Attorney Charles Jerome Ware is renowned and consistently ranked among the best attorneys and legal counsellors in the United States. [GQ Magazine, The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, The Columbia Flier, USA TODAY, The Howard County Sun, The Anniston Star, The New York Times, et al.]
www.CharlesJeromeWare.com

Southwest Airlines (slogan: "Grab your bag, It's on!") is paying more than $29,000,000 for the hard lesson it is learning to "not screw a lawyer out of a drink".

Clearly, an important point for Southwest to learn here is that if you are going to screw a passenger out of a drink, make certain that passenger is not a lawyer.

The case is: ADAM J. LEVITT vs. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES, CO., Civil Case No. 1: 2011 cv 08176, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Chicago); filed on November 16, 2011; based on contract, U.S.C. 28 § 1332.

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Adam Levitt, an Illinois resident and attorney at Chicago's Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz law firm sued Southwest over the discount airline carrier's decision to cease honoring $5-valued coupons for "free" alcoholic drinks, which the airline had given to its "Business Select" airline tickets purchasers (passengers).

That was not a good decision by the airline!  Particularly since the drink coupons lacked expiration dates.

On August 1st, 2010, Southwest arbitrarily changed its drink policy, reneged on its promise, and said Business Select passengers may only use their coupons on the day of travel printed on them.  BIG MISTAKE!

The case has now become a class action lawsuit.

Attorney and plaintiff Levitt, who lives in the Chicago area, said the policy change amounted to a breach of contract.  He attached to his federal civil complaint copies of his 45 Southwest free drink coupons which he had accumulated and which were now worthless.

The case has now settled (in December 2012) and the $29 million payout will be distributed proportionately among the affected class.

[www.lawyersandsettlements.com/blog/ "Southwest Learns Not To Screw A Lawyer Out Of A Drink (Ever) & Gets a Hefty Bar Tab"/ December 28th, 2012; Levitt v. Southwest Airlines Co., dockets.justia.com/ November 16, 2011; Adam J. Levitt v. Southwest Airlines Co., www.scribd.com/doc/ November 18, 2011; www.flyertalk.com/ November 16, 2011/ "Drink Coupon Lawsuit-Class Action"]