$78.7M Settlement Reached Over Delta Jet Fuel Dump On LA-Area Homes, Schools

LOS ANGELES, CA — A federal judge tentatively approved a $78.7 million settlement Monday in a class-action lawsuit over a 2020 Delta Air Lines fuel dump that doused tens of thousands of properties, including homes and schools, in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

Delta has denied wrongdoing in the incident, blaming the event on a mechanical issue.

The settlement will be distributed among nearly 13,000 property owners and residents, attorneys said.

Filippo Marchino, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said claimants were "extremely pleased" with the agreement.

"What this case was about was getting meaningful relief into the hands of the people we represent," the attorney said in a statement sent to City News Service on Monday. "This is a result worth celebrating. We are also grateful to Delta for stepping up, working constructively toward a resolution, and doing the right thing for the people affected. We appreciate the court's careful consideration of the settlement, are very proud of the outcome, and eagerly await the court's final order."

If all fees and costs are approved, the class of plaintiffs will receive about $51.2 million, Marchino said.

U.S. District Judge John A. Kronstadt is expected to issue his final order at a later date.

The case filed in Los Angeles federal court stemmed from a January 2020 incident in which a Delta flight to Shanghai from Los Angeles International Airport lost thrust shortly after takeoff. The pilots jettisoned about 15,000 pounds of jet fuel from the Boeing 777 before returning to LAX.

A Federal Aviation Administration investigation later cleared the pilots of wrongdoing, according to Delta.

Property owners argued that the pilots needlessly dumped fuel at a low altitude over densely populated areas, instead of dumping it over the Pacific Ocean or at a high altitude so it would dissipate, or by burning fuel by flying in a holding pattern.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis previously issued a statement calling the settlement "a long-overdue acknowledgment of the harm inflicted on working families, schoolchildren, and educators in Bell, Cudahy, and surrounding Southeast Los Angeles communities."

"What happened that day was nothing short of an environmental injustice," she said. "Jet fuel was dumped without warning over neighborhoods already overburdened by chronic air pollution, heavy industry, and decades of environmental neglect. This was the result of poor judgment and disregard for the health and safety of communities that have historically been treated as expendable."

During the incident, jet fuel "rained down on playgrounds, schoolyards, and homes," Solis said.

"Children were burned. Teachers were forced to care for students in crisis with no notice and no protective equipment. Families were left to navigate the aftermath with few answers and no accountability. ... We must ensure this never happens again."

City News Service