Was your Delta flight canceled because of Covid-19? This settlement might get you a refund — here's how to tell if you qualify.

13.08.2023 - 16:53 / insider.com

Anyone who had plans to fly at the start of 2020 will remember the travel nightmare that began that March when the spread of Covid-19 left a barrage of canceled and disrupted flights. 

Now, certain Delta Air Lines passengers whose flights were canceled during the first year of the pandemic might be eligible for compensation, thanks to a class-action lawsuit (Dusko v. Delta Air Lines) the company agreed to settle. A court has yet to decide but has granted preliminary approval of the settlement, per a website dedicated to the class action.

According to the website, Delta "breached its contracts of carriage with ticketholders" by refusing refunds for flights canceled during the pandemic, instead providing credits for future travel. According to the website, Delta has denied all allegations and agreed to settle to avoid further litigation.A representative for Delta did not respond to Insider's request for comment, made outside regular working hours.

To be eligible, you must be a US citizen who received credit — not cash — for a non-refundable Delta flight canceled between March 1, 2020, and April 30, 2021.

You must have requested a refund but not received one and have unused or partial unused credit as of January 13, 2023.

Delta employees, their family members, judges involved with the case, and their family members, are not eligible.

Passengers who meet the above criteria can request either a cash refund or credit for each eligible ticket. The cash refund equals the ticket's original amount.

The credit refund will equal the amount of unused credit plus 7% interest. The credit will be valid for one year from the time it's issued, according to the website.

If you qualify, you must complete a claim form online. Alternatively, some people may have already received an email notifying them of their eligibility — those individuals can find a link to the claim form in the email. 

Qualifying passengers can also fill out a physical claim form and mail it in. Claim forms must be filed by September 15, 2023. 

According to the site, the court is set to hold a hearing on October 5 to determine whether to approve the settlement. Refunds won't be issued until any appeals are resolved, and the site suggests that passengers "please be patient."