Qatar Court Orders Airline to Pay Compensation for Denying Passenger Boarding

5 months ago Editor

Investment and Trade Court Rules in Favor of Passenger, Awards QR 20,000 in Damages

photo source: Watan

In a recent ruling, the Investment and Trade Court in Doha, Qatar, has ordered an airline company to compensate a passenger after one of its employees refused to allow the commuter to board a plane. The court has awarded the passenger a sum of QR 20,000 for material and moral damages, with the judgment being immediately enforceable.

According to details reported by Arabic daily Al Sharq, the lawsuit was filed by the passenger against the airline before the Investment and Trade Court, seeking compensation amounting to QR 500,000 for material and moral damages, as well as expenses and legal fees. However, the name of the airline involved in the incident was not disclosed in the newspaper’s report.

The complaint outlined that on the day of the incident, the passenger arrived at the airport to complete check-in procedures for a flight from Doha to an Arab capital. Upon reaching the boarding gate and presenting her travel documents to the airline employee, she was abruptly informed that she would not be allowed to board the plane, with the employee claiming that she was late.

Despite the passenger’s attempts to reason with the employee, emphasizing that there was still ample time before departure, the employee refused to provide any justification and treated the passenger disrespectfully. This led to the passenger experiencing distress and requiring urgent medical attention, ultimately resulting in her missing the flight and incurring both material and moral damages.

Representing the affected passenger, Attorney Abdullah Nuaimi Al-Hajri, a board member of the Qatari Lawyers Association, submitted a legal memorandum along with evidence and documents. He argued for compensation for the passenger’s material and moral damages, citing relevant civil law articles.

The attorney stressed that the passenger had a contractual agreement with the airline through the travel ticket, which obligated the company to transport her from one capital to another. He further highlighted that the airline’s failure to honor this agreement by denying boarding despite the completion of travel procedures and timely arrival caused both material damages, such as missing the flight and ticket costs, and moral damages due to the passenger’s mistreatment.