Airlines to face trial over 9/11

The AMR Corporation's American Airlines and United Continental Holdings must face a federal trial over negligence claims tied to the hijacking of jetliners used in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

World Trade Center Properties, which owned the twin towers destroyed in the attacks, sued the airlines in 2008 over negligence in the attacks. Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein of the District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan said a trial was required.

After the attacks, the owners of the towers sued insurers, eventually settling for $4.09 billion, the judge said. World Trade Center Properties sued the airlines seeking $8.4 billion, or the estimated cost of replacing the two towers as well as claims of negligence, the judge said. Judge Hellerstein said he previously rejected the airlines' bid for summary judgment, or a ruling before trial.

(Published by NY Times - September 4, 2012)