The COVID-19 pandemic is not a catch-all excuse for United Airlines to refuse to pay refunds to passengers whose flights are cancelled, a federal judge held.In a written opinion last week, U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin did not rule on the merits of a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing United of breaching its contract with passengers by offering only travel credit when their flights are cancelled.More discovery is needed to determine whether the pandemic and the resulting restrictions on flights qualify under the …