Coronavirus Refund Lawsuits

Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are interested in speaking with people who had issues receiving full refunds for events, trips and other goods and services that were canceled, delayed or otherwise affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you had trouble getting your money back, fill out the form on this page and tell us what happened.

Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are looking to help people who are having difficulty getting refunds and are interested in filing lawsuits against companies that may be mistreating their customers and violating the law during this global pandemic.

You May Be Legally Owed Cash

Several class action lawsuits have been filed challenging the credits some companies are using to reimburse their customers – if they’ve decided to refund them at all. Below, we will explain the issues that pertain to several of the areas under investigation.

Canceled Concerts, Other Events

If you had a concert, game, show or other event that was canceled – or even postponed – you may be entitled to a full refund, rather than a credit or a coupon toward a future purchase. It’s possible that the company is breaking its own contracts with the way it’s paying you and other customers back.

For instance, one class action lawsuit has accused a popular ticket reseller of breaking its own “cash refund” promise by offering 120% credits – valid for one year only – for COVID-related event cancellations.

Canceled Flights

If your flight was canceled, you may be entitled to a full refund, rather than a credit toward a future trip.

Several class action lawsuits have been filed against airlines that are offering credits, rather than cash refunds, for flights that were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The suits claim that the airlines are breaking their own contracts and/or acting in direct opposition to the Department of Transportation’s April 3 directive.

Often, when a flight gets canceled, the airline’s contract will provide that the customer can be put on another flight at no extra charge or get a refund. Several class action lawsuits have been filed alleging that certain airlines are breaking their own contracts by:

In addition, the Department of Transportation (DOT) issued an enforcement notice stating that passengers “should be refunded promptly” when their flights are canceled or significantly delayed. The notice says that despite COVID-19’s “unprecedented impact on air travel,” airlines’ obligation to refund passengers “remains unchanged.” Several of the lawsuits argue that the decision by some major and regional airlines to offer credits instead of refunds directly contradicts the DOT’s notice.

General Travel

Likewise, if you paid for a hotel, cruise, resort or other service or amenity, and your trip was canceled, you may be able to seek a full refund.

For instance, a Texas woman is suing NurseCon at Sea, LLC and Royal Caribbean, who respectively manage and host a “nursing conference” cruise, for failing to offer refunds after canceling its 2020 event due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Passengers are allegedly being provided credits for a 2021-2023 trip, the details of which have yet to be established and may include passage to a different destination. The suit calls the defendants’ decision to hold onto nurses’ money for one to three years “unlawful” and “unfair.”

You can also learn more about getting a refund for your travel insurance here. 

Closed Universities, Other Schools

If your college or university was shut down and/or moved to online learning, you may be able to take action to get back money paid for room and board, tuition, campus fees and other expenses.

Room and Board

Many college campuses have been shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, forcing students to evacuate their dorm rooms and other on-campus living facilities. One class action filed in March 2020 says that students are owed back money for the unused portions of their room and board – and that a credit toward next year is not acceptable. This is because, the suit says, some students may be graduating, switching to another school or moving off campus.

Campus Fees

Several schools have been accused of failing to refund the cost of fees associated with on-campus amenities and activities that are no longer in use or taking place due to the pandemic. This may include fees associated with computer labs, parking passes, library use, meal plans and gym or recreational facilities.

Tuition

Even when a school does offer a refund for part of a student’s tuition, the amount of money given back should be commensurate with the amount of money students and their parents have lost due to a school’s transitioning to online classes.

One suit argues that students’ tuition payments are meant to cover things such as face-to-face interactions with professors and peers, as well as networking and mentorship opportunities, many of which have been put on hold due to the coronavirus crisis.

Other Schools

It’s not just college students who are being deprived of the full learning experience. Many Kindergarten through 12^th grade students have been forced to switch to online learning, which may only encompass a few hours every day. For parents who have paid out thousands for in-school instruction, refunds may also be available.

Unused Memberships, Passes, Subscriptions

If you’re paying for a membership for a business that has shut down or is otherwise unusable due to the coronavirus outbreak, you may be able to get back any charges that were billed to you during this time.

Theme Parks

For instance, a class action lawsuit has been filed alleging that Six Flags Magic Mountain in California is “unjustly” profiting from consumers as it continues to charge season passholders despite the fact that the park, along with Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, have been shut down. The suit claims that the memberships can cost as much as $505 per year and that the defendants are automatically billing customers the full monthly price – without their consent – during the shutdown.

Ski Resorts

Similar to the Six Flags case, lawsuits have also been filed against companies that offer annual, monthly and daily ski passes and have had to close their ski resorts for the remainder of the 2019-2020 season.

Memberships: Gyms, Massage Parlors, Tanning Salons

Gyms across the United States have been forced to close their doors due to the coronavirus pandemic – yet some are still levying their monthly fees.

These claims could potentially extend to other businesses, such as tanning salons and massage parlors who charge on a monthly basis but have closed down temporarily.

How a Class Action Lawsuit Could Help

If consumers are not being refunded in full for trips, memberships, school and other expenses, class action lawsuits could help get their money back. During the COVID-19 crisis, many are losing their jobs, paying costly medical bills or otherwise suffering financially – and shouldn’t have to pay for useless goods and services.

Before commenting, please review our comment policy.