Federal Judge Declares California Resident Vexatious Litigant After Airline Lawsuit

A federal judge declared a California man a vexatious litigant after he sued Scandinavian Airlines over being served a vegetarian meal instead of chicken during an international flight. The man alleged that passengers seated farther back were told chicken meals had run out. He also claimed he later saw crew members eating chicken in the rear galley and was refused when he asked for one.

The complaint stated that flight attendants announced passengers could choose between chicken and vegetarian pasta. The man alleged the airline had mistakenly loaded too few chicken entrees. The same complaint accused the airline of limiting him to a single complimentary drink. It also alleged a broken air-conditioning system on another flight made the cabin so dry it injured him and his dogs.

The judge dismissed the case in January, finding the court lacked personal jurisdiction over part of the dispute. The judge also found the man failed to allege the physical injury required under the Montreal Convention for the meal-related claim. The June 23 ruling noted the man filed 30 lawsuits in the Northern District of California between March 2025 and June of this year.

All but three targeted at least one airline. The judge said the man had caused needless expense to airlines and imposed an unnecessary burden on the court. The order bars him from filing future lawsuits against airlines without prior approval. The judge declined a request for a broader filing ban.

The court noted the man had already been declared a vexatious litigant by Santa Clara Superior Court in 2020.