Abu Dhabi: An airline has been ordered to pay Dh30,000 as compensation to a diabetic pilgrim who suffered physical discomfort and mental stress last year due to flight delays, the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department announced in a statement on Saturday.
The complainant had filed a case at the civil court alleging that a near 12-hour delay following his Haj pilgrimage last year had caused him great distress and discomfort. He had initially demanded Dh4 million as compensation.
The suit stated that the pilgrim’s return flight, which had been scheduled for 3pm, was delayed until 4am the next day. Following this, his luggage had not reached him until 6.30am. As a result, he suffered from exhaustion and worsening of his diabetic condition.
The airline, on the other hand, requested a dismissal of the case, saying that the complainant did not make a direct reservation with the airline. The case was rejected by the Civil Court of First Instance because the complainant failed to provide documents which showed that he had a reservation with the airline, and that the trip had been delayed.
When the case reached the Court of Appeals, investigators obtained flight details from the airport that confirmed the complainant’s allegations of significant flight delay. Based on this, the compensation amount was set for the airline.
