U.S. District Judge Louis Stanton of the Southern District of New York has awarded a $48.6 million judgment to Frontier Airlines in a breach-of-contract suit against AMCK Aviation Holdings Ireland Limited and its two affiliates. The lawsuit centered on the contractual fallout amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. After dismissing several claims on summary judgment, Judge Stanton held a bench trial in April.
The critical aspect of the trial was whether AMCK waived its right to timely payment during an April 2020 phone call between executives from both companies. Judge Stanton’s decision has significant implications for airline-industry contracts disrupted by the pandemic. Further details are available here.