Two class-action lawsuits have been brought against Delta and United over seat configurations where some passengers who say they paid for a window seat were left with a blank wall instead of a view.
The separate suits on the issue claim that some Delta and United passengers who booked these seats, and in many cases paid a premium to do so, actually had no window, according to the complaint.
The complaints said the carriers operate Boeing 737s, Boeing 757s and Airbus A321s with seats that would usually have a window. But due to the design and the placement of air conditioning ducts, electrical conduits or other parts, the window cannot be installed.
Some airlines describe every seat along the side of the plane as a window seat, according to the lawsuits.
These lawsuits claim that other carriers, including American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, inform passengers during the booking process about so-called “windowless window seats,” but that Delta and United did not.
Delta and United declined to comment when contacted by ABC News.
The standard fee to select a basic economy “window” seat on United can exceed $50, the suit claimed. On international flights, the extra fees can be over $100.
The complaint against Delta said a basic economy traveler “might need to spend upwards of $40 to advance to a higher ticket tier, and then must spend over $30 to select a particular window seat.”
Both lawsuits claim the airlines have sold millions of these seats and the lawsuits aim to rectify costs for passengers who bought them.