A recent lawsuit alleges that a customer was denied a reserved rental vehicle due to intentional race discrimination, and subsequently accused of making violent threats, in an incident involving employees of a national car rental company at O’Hare International Airport. The complaint was filed by Brandon Barnes in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on March 20, 2026, naming Avis Rent A Car System, LLC—doing business as National Rent A Car—as well as individual employees identified as Rob and Eli, and other unnamed defendants.
According to the filing, Barnes claims he reserved a rental vehicle approximately three weeks ahead of his planned family vacation. On March 20, 2025, he arrived at the Avis counter at O’Hare International Airport with what he describes as a valid driver’s license that was slightly cracked but still legally acceptable. The complaint states that an employee initially confirmed the identification was valid before management intervened.
Barnes alleges that managers refused to honor his reservation, telling him it was his ‘unlucky day.’ Despite police confirming on site that his identification met legal requirements, service was still denied. The lawsuit further claims that after refusing service, employees escalated the situation by contacting law enforcement and falsely reporting that Barnes had threatened to kill a manager’s family. According to the complaint, multiple witnesses confirmed that no such threat was made by Barnes. He reports he was neither arrested nor cited during or after the incident.
The legal action is brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1981—a federal statute prohibiting racial discrimination in contractual relationships—and asserts that “but for Plaintiff’s race,” defendants would have completed the rental contract with him. The complaint also includes counts for defamation per se and intentional infliction of emotional distress. It alleges: “Defendants intentionally discriminated against Plaintiff based on race,” adding that their stated justification for denying service was pretextual.
In addition to individual actions taken by employees on site, Barnes claims Avis maintained policies allowing discretionary refusal of service without sufficient anti-discrimination training or oversight. He argues these practices amount to an institutional policy or custom of discrimination: “Defendant AVIS ratified the conduct by failing to discipline employees.” The complaint further asserts that such actions caused him humiliation, emotional distress, and reputational harm.
Barnes is seeking compensatory damages for emotional distress and reputational injury as well as punitive damages for what he describes as malicious conduct carried out with reckless indifference to federally protected rights. He also requests attorney’s fees and costs associated with bringing the case.
The case lists Kevin Sterk of Ancel Glink P.C., based in Oak Lawn, Illinois, as attorney for Brandon Barnes. The case number is 1:26-cv-03178.
Source: 126cv03178_Brandon_Barnes_v_Avis_Rent_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf
