Official Settlement Website
In the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit,
In and for Palm Beach County, Florida
Southern Airways Corp.
v.
Benjamin Ryan and Nathaniel Hilliard
Settlement of Training Repayment Agreement Class and Collective Action
Case No. 50-2023-CA-014213
Important Dates & Deadlines
Please review all deadlines carefully. Missing a deadline may affect your rights.
* The Final Approval Hearing will be held before the Honorable Gregory Keyser on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern, in Courtroom 10C or remotely via Zoom. Zoom Meeting ID: 882 1173 5733 (no passcode required). Join via Zoom. Dates are subject to Court approval and may change. Check this website regularly for updates.
About This Settlement
As a condition of employment with Southern Airways Corporation ("Southern"), pilots were required to sign a training repayment agreement ("TRAP") obligating them to pay Southern a sum of money if their employment ended before certain conditions were met.
Southern sued Plaintiff Ryan, who counter-claimed along with Plaintiff Hilliard, alleging: (a) Southern violated the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. § 216, and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1589(a); (b) Southern's TRAP imposed an unlawful restraint on trade in violation of Florida Statutes § 542.18 et seq.; and (c) Plaintiffs were entitled to injunctive and declaratory relief.
The parties have agreed to settle to avoid the costs and uncertainty of continued litigation. The Court has preliminarily approved the settlement and authorized this notice to inform class members of their rights.
The Settlement Classes
Defendant Class
All of Southern's pilots subject to Southern's TRAP agreement who have been sued to collect the TRAP debt in Palm Beach County.
TRAP Agreement Class
All of Southern's pilots subject to Southern's TRAP agreement who have not been sued to collect the TRAP debt in Palm Beach County.
Defendant Disgorgement Sub-class
All members of the Defendant Class who made a payment or partial payment to Southern pursuant to the TRAP.
Settlement Relief
Defendant Disgorgement Sub-class — Monetary Payment
Members of the Defendant Disgorgement Sub-class who made a payment or partial payment to Southern under the TRAP will receive 55% of what they paid to Southern, totaling $156,750 across the sub-class. No action is required — if the Settlement is finally approved, payment will be mailed to you at the address on file.
All Other Class Members — TRAP Voided
For all remaining class members, the training repayment agreement has been rendered void. No monies are owed to Southern under the training repayment agreement.
Your Legal Rights & Options
Do Nothing
You will remain in the Class and, if eligible, receive your settlement payment automatically by mail. No action is required to receive benefits.
Object to the Settlement
You may appear at the Final Approval Hearing on August 12, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern, in Courtroom 10C or remotely via Zoom (Meeting ID: 882 1173 5733, no passcode required). Join via Zoom. You must submit a written objection by July 30, 2026. Visit the Contact Us page for details.
Exclude Yourself (Opt Out)
To be excluded, send a written Request for Exclusion to CAC Services Group, 6420 Flying Cloud Dr Ste 101, Eden Prairie, MN 55344, no later than July 30, 2026. Your request must include your name, address, and the statement: "I request exclusion from the Settlement Class in Southern Airways Corp. v. Benjamin Ryan and Nathaniel Hilliard."
Attorney's Fees & Costs: Southern has separately agreed to pay $177,250 in attorney's fees and $11,000 in litigation costs to Class Counsel. These amounts are paid separately and do not reduce the settlement benefits available to class members.
