A toddler was involuntarily bumped from an American Airlines flight on a “once in a lifetime” trip to Disney World with his deaf mother and military veteran father, who claimed the ticketing agent lied to them about oversold the flight.
The child’s father, Coby Stewart, was promised a $1,200 voucher and guaranteed a meeting with his family at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport later that day, but he never received compensation after an agent called him — while he was running to an airport in another state and trying to get an alternate flight with his 4-year-old son because Archer’s native son had not offered Archana. Not all were sold after all, according to lawsuits reviewed by independent.
Advocate Chris Ayobe said independent Stewart wasn’t actually reunited with the others in Dallas, but that night he and Archer finally arrived at the Disney Resort, confused. Stewart and Archer “risked life and limb” by speeding to another airport in another state to catch their new flight, Ayub said.
American is reportedly the airline that bumps the largest number of involuntarily ticketed passengers, but complaints about the practice are common across all carriers. Air Canada made headlines in 2017 after bumping a 10-year-old boy off a flight to Costa Rica, forcing his parents to travel to two other airports and spend an additional $850 to get to their destination.
That same year, when a Chicago pulmonologist refused to make room for a headstrong employee on a United Airlines flight to Louisville, he was forcibly dragged off the plane by police, with a concussion, a broken nose and two teeth.
American Airlines faces legal action after overbooking flight ruins family trip (Getty Images)
Passengers delayed one to two hours are entitled to compensation equal to twice the one-way price of the flight, with a maximum limit of $1,075, according to the US Department of Transportation. For delays longer than two hours, bumped passengers can receive four times the one-way price of their original ticket, with a cap of $2,150.
American Airlines did not respond to a request for comment.
On January 2, 2025, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, residents Coby and Emily Stewart paid $5,187.58 for six round-trip tickets on American, with service from American Eagle Lake Charles Regional Airport to Orlando, Florida, for themselves and their four children, ages 4 to 11, a complaint was filed with the state on February 12, 2012. Federal Court on March 10.
They went on a “once-in-a-lifetime trip” to Disney, and they booked everyone “preferred seating,” the complaint says.
The Stewarts arrived at the airport about two hours earlier, and checked in immediately, the complaint continues. It says Kobe identified himself to the ticket agent as ex-US Army, adding that his wife was deaf and that he acted as her sign language interpreter.
At the time, the agent told the couple the flight was “oversold” and that they would have to bump into one person in their party — even though the family had arrived before several other passengers on the same flight, the complaint continues.
Coby and Emily “reiterated to the ticketing agent that they couldn’t be separated for family reasons [Emily’s] Disability and inability to attend four minor children without his support [her husband]It is said in the complaint.
Coby Stewart was ‘guaranteed’ by an American Airlines ticket agent that he would be back with his family at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, but it never happened, according to a lawsuit (Getty Images)
Still, the ticket agent doubled down and “refused to accommodate” the family, according to the complaint.
“Indeed, when the boarding process had begun and all plaintiffs had been checked in and screened through TSA, an American Airlines ticketing agent advised Kobe and Emily Stewart. [the carrier] Four-year-old Archer was preparing to eject Stewart from the flight,” the complaint states.
With no other choice, Coby left Emily with the other children and drove more than 90 minutes away to Jack Brooks Regional Airport in Beaumont, Texas, in an attempt to catch another flight with Archer. A U.S. ticket agent at the airport in Lake Charles promised Kobe a $1,200 voucher for his trouble and was “guaranteed to be reunited with his family at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport,” the complaint said.
As the two were running to Beaumont, Coby got a call from the ticket agent, who said the original flight was not actually overbooked, and that she was canceling her $1,200 voucher, the complaint alleges.
“Only after learning of Emily Stewart’s special needs did the American Airlines ticketing agent advise the Stewart family that she was the only passenger in the lottery to be removed from the entire flight,” according to the complaint.
The Stewarts are now seeking damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress, fear, and anxiety, as well as court costs and interest.
Last week, American Airlines requested an additional 21 days to formally respond to the allegations, saying the carrier had “recently” advised it, and needed “more time to conduct its investigation.”
