Overka v. American Airlines, Inc.

This suit arose after American Airlines began charging passengers $2 per bag to use curbside check-in services. A class of skycaps - airport porters who assist passengers with curbside check-in - working at airports throughout the country sued American Airlines. Plaintiffs alleged that American failed adequately to notify customers that skycaps would not receive the proceeds from the new charge and that the compensation decreased significantly following the introduction of the new charge. On behalf of the Massachusetts skycaps, Plaintiff sued for violations of the Massachusetts Tips Law. Plaintiffs also sued on behalf of the class for tortious interference with a contract and unjust enrichment or quantum meruit. The district court dismissed the action, concluding that the federal Airline Deregulation Act preempted each of the skycaps’ claims. The First Circuit affirmed, holding that federal law preempted the skycaps’ state statutory and common law claims. View "Overka v. American Airlines, Inc." on Justia Law