Southwest Airlines Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over Misleading Promotional Emails in Washington

Southwest Airlines is facing a class action lawsuit in Washington state, filed by Karleasa Mitchell, accusing the airline of sending misleading promotional emails with false deadlines designed to create a false sense of urgency and pressure consumers into making rushed purchases. The complaint highlights that Southwest repeatedly extended sales after sending emails with subject lines such as “Last Day” to trick consumers, violating the Washington Commercial Electronic Mail Act (CEMA) and the Washington Consumer Protection Act. One specific example involved a February 2025 Companion Pass promotion that was advertised to end on February 20 but was extended the following day, undermining the urgency communicated to customers. Mitchell's lawsuit aims to represent a nationwide class of consumers who received such deceptive emails and seeks to stop Southwest from continuing these misleading marketing practices, while still wanting truthful promotional communications. The case underscores concerns about consumer trust and the legality of marketing tactics that manipulate perceived scarcity to drive sales. Southwest has not publicly responded to the lawsuit allegations.