Top Customer Alleges that Flights Were Canceled Over Staff Shortages

One of United Airlines’s most elite customers is seeking $500,000 after having multiple of his flights cancelled. While the carrier cited weather and operational constraints at the time, Premier 1K status member Jonathan Davidoff argues that the clear skies tell another story.

Davidoff, who holds over two million United miles, says United knowingly sold tickets for flights it couldn’t operate and failed to provide timely alternatives.

The dispute centers on a June 28, 2023, flight from Newark to San Francisco. Davidoff says he was already at the airport when the flight was canceled, despite weather reports showing clear skies at both departure and arrival airports. While United blamed weather and general operational issues, Davidoff alleges that the airline simply chose to reassign the aircraft to serve a more profitable route. This left him and other passengers stranded with no available rebooking for 60 hours.

The lawsuit accuses United of unfair and deceptive practices, arguing that the airline’s real problem was (and continues to be) workforce limitations tied to cost-cutting and scheduling inefficiencies. Davidoff claims this specific cancellation was part of a larger pattern, especially at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) during the chaotic summer of 2023.

United faced widespread disruptions that season, canceling hundreds of flights amid strained operations. While the airline attributed the chaos to FAA delays and severe weather, flight attendant unions pointed to internal staffing problems. The Association of Flight Attendants said the carrier was short on crew schedulers and frequently relied on minimum FAA staffing levels to keep flights in the air.

Davidoff’s half-a-million case argues that such practices mislead consumers and damage trust, especially for top-tier frequent flyers who rely on reliability. United has not publicly responded to the lawsuit as of yet.

FMI: www.united.com