Delta Air Lines agreed to a $78.75 million compensation fund and a technical testing program after a January 2020 jet-fuel release over Los Angeles County. The settlement was filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to address claims including alleged impacts on property values. Plaintiffs said Delta Flight 89 released fuel while returning to LAX after an engine problem, dumping fuel at altitudes as low as 2,000 feet across a roughly 15-mile path and affecting an estimated 12,000 properties, including homes and schools. More than 60 people sought medical attention for skin and eye irritation.
Delta Air Lines has agreed to a $78.75 million class-action settlement with Los Angeles County residents whose homes, schools and properties were doused with jet fuel when a Delta Boeing 777 dumped 15,000 gallons over a populated area in January 2020. The settlement, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, includes a $78.75 million compensation fund along with a technical testing program intended to address claims that the fuel drop hurt local property values due to stigmas of contamination.
The plaintiffs argued Delta violated federal procedures that require fuel dumps at higher altitudes or over unpopulated areas so that it "atomizes and disperses before it reaches the ground." They alleged the airline chose to prioritize expense over the "well-being of those that the dumped fuel may land on" by dumping fuel to avoid the costly inspections required after an overweight landing, which can take a plane out of service.
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