Kalish v. Trans World Airlines, Inc.

362 N.E.2d 994, 50 Ohio St. 2d 73, 4 Ohio Op. 3d 195, 1977 Ohio LEXIS 379
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedMay 11, 1977
DocketNo. 76-753
StatusPublished
Cited by68 cases

This text of 362 N.E.2d 994 (Kalish v. Trans World Airlines, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kalish v. Trans World Airlines, Inc., 362 N.E.2d 994, 50 Ohio St. 2d 73, 4 Ohio Op. 3d 195, 1977 Ohio LEXIS 379 (Ohio 1977).

Opinions

Locher, J.

I.

Central to the facts of this case, is what is known, in airline industry parlance, as overbooking. At the root of [75]*75this practice are two adverse designs: airline profit and passenger convenience. First, the most economical method to' operate an airline is to assure the maximum number of passengers on a flight. Second, consumer flexibility in reservations produces last-minute cancellations and “no-shows,” resulting in empty seats, lost revenue and a denial of passage to other prospective passengers.1

In response to the problem, the airline industry attempts to statistically determine the number of cancellations and “no-shows” per flight and overbooks accordingly. The Utopian goals are the maximization of profit and the accommodation of passengers, who otherwise could not make the flight. However, like so many elusive dreams, the practice of overbooking falls prey to human imperfections and unpredictability. The end result is that certain passengers with confirmed reservations are denied boarding or, in the colloquial, are “bumped.”

II.

Appellant, in his first proposition of law, asserts that, when a ticketed airline passenger is denied boarding and the airline fails to present evidence to establish that the denied boarding was consistent with its priority rules under Section 1374(b), Title 49, U. S. Code, such a passenger is entitled to punitive and compensatory damages. Appellee counters, arguing that appellant having proceeded under a state cause of action can not now urge for the first time a federal cause of action. Thus, before the merits of appellant’s proposition may be considered, it is necessary to determine the propriety of appellant’s presentment of a federal cause of action.

Federal decisions recognize that the “bumped” passenger has both a state and federal cause of action. Nader v. Allegheny Airlines (1976), 426 U. S. 290; Wills v. Trans World Airlines (S. D. Cal. 1961), 200 F. Supp. 360. The private federal cause of action is created by a violation of [76]*76Section 404(b) of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, Section 1374(b), Title 49, U. S. Code (1970). Section 1374(b) reads, in relevant part:

“No air carrier * * * shall make, give, or canse any nndne or unreasonable preference or advantage to any particular person * # * in any respect whatsoever or subject any particular person # * * to any unjust discrimination or any undue or unreasonable prejudice or disadvantage in any respect whatsoever.”

Thus, the federal cause of action arises not by “bumping” per se, but by a violation of Section 1374(b), i. e., the defendant airlines unjustly and unreasonably discriminated against the “bumped” passenger. Fitzgerald v. Pan American World Airways (C. A. 2, 1956), 229 F. 2d 499. In describing the basis of this private federal cause of action, the District Court, in Mortimer v. Delta Air Lines (1969), 302 F. Supp. 276, 281, stated:

“* * * First the basis of this action is not breach of contract of carriage, which is the basis of denied boarding compensation, but rather violation of the antidiscrimination and preference section of the Federal Aviation Act.
“* * * The civil action that was recognized in Fitzgerald v. Pan American World Airways, supra, Wills v. Trans World Airlines, supra, and which is recognized here permits recovery for a violation of 49 U. S. C. Section 1374(b). * * * It provides redress for injury caused by discrimination, disadvantage or undue preferences whether racially, religiously or economically motivated or that results from the carrier’s disregard of its own priority rules * * *.
“In order to succeed in an action under this section it must be alleged, as it is here, and proven that the plaintiff's right to fair, equal and non-discriminatory treatment has been violated.” (Emphasis added.)

A brief summary of other “bumping” cases wherein the federal cause of action was raised reveals the nature of the allegations therein.

“Plaintiff brings this action under Section 404(b) of [77]*77the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 [49 U. S. C. A. Section 484(b) as amended, id. Section 1374(b) (1958)], alleging that unjust discrimination and undue preference was visited upon him as a prospective passenger aboard one of defendant’s aircraft. * * *” Wills v. TWA, supra, at page 361. (Bracketed material sic).
“* * * Appellees claimed that the incident gave rise to a private damage remedy for unjust discrimination under Section 404(b) of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, 49 U. S. C. Section 1374(b) * * Nader v. Allegheny Airlines (1975), 512 F. 2d 527, reversed on other grounds, 426 U. S. 290.
“Plaintiffs # * * brought suit against defendant, North Central Airlines, Inc., charging that defendant (1) by wrongfully refusing to transport them * * * was guilty of giving or causing undue and unreasonable preference or advantage to other passengers contrary to Section 484(b) of the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 * * Stough v. North Central Airlines (1965), 55 Ill. App. 2d 338, 339, 204 N. E. 2d 792.

Ohio Civ. R. 8 reads, in pertinent part:

“A pleading which sets forth a claim of relief * * * shall contain (1) a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief * *

Appellant’s complaint in the case sub judice plainly does not allege a federal cause of action. The record fails to reveal in any manner a claim showing that appellant is entitled to relief because appellee by disregarding appellant’s priority unjustly and unreasonably discriminated, against him in violation of Section 1374(b), Title 49, U. S. Code. Appellant, having elected to proceed under a state, law, may not for the first time raise before this court a federal cause of action. See State, ex rel. Masterson, v. Ohio State Racing Comm. (1954), 162 Ohio St. 366. Having determined the impropriety of the presentment of appellant’s first proposition of law, no discussion of its merits is warranted.

Arguing that it is a defense to being a trespasser under [78]*78Title 18, Section 3503 of the Consolidated Pennsylvania Statutes, if a person “reasonably believed” that he was licensed to be in the premises, appellant asserts that the trial court erred in deciding, as a matter of law, that he was a trespasser and, therefore, he was neither falsely arrested nor falsely imprisoned.

The evidence presented during the trial demonstrated that appellant had a personal knowledge of the existence of the practice of overbooking by various airlines.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
362 N.E.2d 994, 50 Ohio St. 2d 73, 4 Ohio Op. 3d 195, 1977 Ohio LEXIS 379, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kalish-v-trans-world-airlines-inc-ohio-1977.