How to Sue Alaska Airlines in Small Claims Court

So you’re looking to sue Alaska Airlines?

At FairShake we’ve helped thousands of people ripped off by big companies like Alaska Airlines. And we’ve helped get millions of dollars in settlement offers…

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Tired of hitting dead ends when trying to get a refund from Alaska Airlines? Feeling like there’s nowhere to turn?

You’re not alone. It seems like many people have tried all the Alaska Airlines customer service options, but still feel unheard.

There are different ways to file a complaint against Alaska Airlines, but none have the same power and leverage as taking legal action.

So, if you’re thinking of suing Alaska Airlines, where do you even start? You might expect there to be tons of class action lawsuits against them, but it’s often more complicated than that.

What many people don’t know is that hidden clauses buried deep within their contracts frequently allow companies like Alaska Airlines to push legal claims into the private realm of consumer arbitration, away from conventional courts.

But here’s the thing: your Alaska Airlines contract doesn’t have the power to take away your right to pursue legal action by suing them.

Here’s what you can do…

Two options to Sue Alaska Airlines:

Consumer Arbitration: This involves accessing an official and independent dispute resolution process that is not a court. It provides an opportunity to seek compensation for your complaint without the need to appear in person. For many, this can be a preferable option.To find out if you can take Alaska Airlines to arbitration, you can check your contract or user agreement with them. Many companies’ standard contract are available on their websites. You can do a search for “arbitration” arbitration within the contract text — it is usually mentioned near the very top of a contract.
Learn more about the consumer arbitration process here.
Small Claims Court: If you prefer to avoid the arbitration system, you can opt for Small Claims Court. You should know that the procedures for Small Claims Court may vary depending on your jurisdiction.Taking Alaska Airlines to Small Claims Court will typically involve appearing in person and completing necessary forms.

If you’re ready to sue Alaska Airlines in Small Claims Court, read on below:

Taking Alaska Airlines to Small Claims Court Step-by-Step

Does your case qualify to sue Alaska Airlines in small claims court?

Ready to sue Alaska Airlines in small claims court? First things first: make sure your claim qualifies. There are two key limitations to which you must pay attention:

The amount of money: Every small claims court has a maximum dollar size you can ask for when you sue Alaska Airlines and it differs depending on where you live. In most states it’s either $5000 or $10,000, but it can be as low as $2,500. You can find a list of all 50 states’ monetary limits here.
The type of relief: Even if you meet the monetary limit, be advised that while there are two types of awards that you can seek in a lawsuit – monetary (a dollar value payment) and equitable (any non-monetary request), if you sue Alaska Airlines in small claims courts they can usually only grant monetary awards.

If your claim doesn’t fall within the limits of your state’s small claims court, you’ll have to arbitrate your claim instead.

Send Alaska Airlines a demand letter.

Most small claims courts require that you ask the person you’re suing (the “defendant”) to fix your problem voluntarily before you file any paperwork to start the suing process. So if you want to sue Alaska Airlines in small claims court, you need to send them a demand letter first.

This doesn’t have to be complicated. Just write a letter to Alaska Airlines telling them who you are (your name, address, phone number and account number), what the problem is, and what you want from them. The whole letter can be a few sentences, just make sure you don’t overlook it.

When you’re done writing, you need to mail a hard copy of the letter, preferably as certified mail, to their legal address. According to our most recent research, Alaska Airlines is legally based in Alaska and receives mail at this address:

Alaska Airlines, Inc.
C/O Corporation Service Company
8585 OLD DAIRY RD
STE 208
JUNEAU, AK 99801

If you would like examples of demand letters or more information about how to write them, you can find an excellent guide here.

Fill out court forms.

If you send your letter and Alaska Airlines does nothing, it is time to sue Alaska Airlines in small claims court. This starts with paperwork.

Each state has a set of forms that need to be filled out to file a claim, and sometimes counties will provide additional forms. The correct forms for your location will be available for free on your state court’s website. Find your state court website here.

Make sure you fill out enough forms – most states require you have 3 or 4 copies. If you don’t have the right number, they will not let you sue Alaska Airlines.

File the documents with the court.

When you’re done filling out the court forms, you have to officially “file” them with the court.

Many courts will require you to physically come to the courthouse during specific hours and days to hand-deliver the forms to the court’s clerk. This means you park, stand in line, and have a (hopefully) polite discussion with the clerk while they check that everything is in order. Other courts may allow you to file by mail, fax or (for a few courts) online.

All courts will require you to pay a filing fee before they allow your to sue Alaska Airlines in small claims. This fee amount should be on the court website. Once that is done, the clerk will provide you with a stamped copy of the forms and a court date. Keep it safe and bring it with you on the day of your hearing.

“Serve” Alaska Airlines.

The next step to sue Alaska Airlines is to “serve” them, a legal process whereby you formally tell them they are being sued.

To do this, you need to deliver a copy of your filed papers to Alaska Airlines.

Look at your court’s website for instructions on how to properly deliver your forms to Alaska Airlines, or search for “[your state] small claims service of process”. Courts have many specific and seemingly odd rules about how to serve a defendant, and your claim will be dropped if you do not follow them perfectly. So exercise caution!

Show up for court.

When the court clerk gives you a court date make sure to put it on your calendar.

This is your court date where you go before the judge and explain why you decided to sue Alaska Airlines. Alaska Airlines may or may not send someone to oppose you but in any case, you need to make sure you bring your copy of your filed forms, and any other evidence that backs up your case, then take advantage of the situation to focus on your side of the story.

Ready to sue Alaska Airlines in small claims court?
If this sounds too hard and expensive, try consumer arbitration instead…

How to Sue Alaska Airlines