• Delta Air Lines to pay $79 million over a jet fuel dumping incident affecting Los Angeles residents.
• The settlement follows a 2020 incident where 15,000 gallons of fuel were dumped over schools and homes.
• Over 60 people, including children, required medical attention after the fuel exposure.
• The case resulted in a class-action lawsuit filed by affected homeowners in residents.
• Settlement aims to compensate affected residents while avoiding further litigation costs.

Delta Air Lines has agreed to pay approximately $79 million as part of a settlement related to a 2020 incident where jet fuel was dumped over residential areas in Los Angeles County. The lawsuit was initiated after Delta Flight 89, bound for Shanghai, dumped around 15,000 gallons of jet fuel shortly after takeoff due to engine failure, impacting several schools and homes in the area, according to HuffPost and Los Angeles Times.

The incident occurred on January 14, 2020, when the pilots of Flight 89 were unable to land due to the aircraft being overweight after takeoff. Consequently, they released fuel over populated areas—an action that violates standard procedures that dictate fuel should be dumped over unpopulated or ocean areas to mitigate health risks and environmental damage. Affected schools reported that over 60 individuals required medical attention following skin and eye irritations caused by fuel exposure, as highlighted by Business Insider and SFGATE.

The settlement amount of $78.75 million will be distributed among property owners and residents affected by the fuel dumping. After legal fees, the net settlement is estimated at about $50.6 million, translating to approximately $888.82 for each property claim and $104.34 per resident. The compensation aims to address the “stigmas of contamination” associated with the incident, according to Los Angeles Times and SFGATE.

Delta acknowledged agreeing to the settlement without admitting liability, emphasizing that it sought to avoid the expenses and uncertainties of a trial. The company maintained that its pilots acted in accordance with federal regulations during the emergency, and a Federal Aviation Administration investigation later cleared them of wrongdoing. Nonetheless, the legal battle underscored the community's significant concerns regarding air travel safety and environmental impacts, as described in HuffPost, Business Insider, and SFGATE.