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Delta Air Lines has agreed to pay nearly $79 million to settle a class action lawsuit related to a 2020 incident in which one of its flights dumped jet fuel over residential and business areas in Los Angeles. The incident occurred after Delta Flight 89, operated by a Boeing 777-200, experienced engine thrust loss shortly after takeoff from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) en route to Shanghai, China.
Following the engine issue, the pilots decided to jettison approximately 15,000 pounds of jet fuel so the aircraft would not exceed its maximum landing weight upon return. The fuel dump affected densely populated neighborhoods in Cudahy, California, including Park Avenue Elementary School where teachers and students were exposed to jet fuel on their skin and clothes. Residents reported minor skin and lung irritations.
Delta settled the lawsuit without admitting liability. According to the airline, "Delta followed protocol for the dump," but plaintiffs argued that the pilots could have chosen a different location or method for releasing fuel. Attorney Filippo Marchino, representing those affected, said that his clients contended "the jettison was not required" and that "the aircraft would have been capable to land without incident."
