Watan-The Investment and Trade Court in Qatar has ordered an airline to compensate a passenger with a sum of 20,000 Qatari riyals after a company employee refused to allow her to board the plane destined from Doha to an Arab capital.

According to Qatari media reports, the employee addressed the plaintiff loudly, claiming that she was late and wouldn’t allow her to board the plane to her destination, causing her to miss the flight she was supposed to be on.

According to Al Sharq newspaper, the lawsuit states that the passenger filed a suit against the airline before the Investment and Trade Court, seeking to compel the company to pay a sum of 500,000 riyals as compensation for material and moral damages, as well as to cover legal expenses and attorney fees, with the judgment being immediately enforceable.

Passenger’s breakdown

According to the source, the plaintiff, the passenger, went to the airport on the day of the incident to complete the check-in procedures, and completed all necessary travel procedures in preparation for boarding the plane on a flight from Doha to an Arab capital.

Upon reaching the gate and handing her boarding passes to the designated employee, the employee addressed the plaintiff loudly, claiming she was late and wouldn’t allow her to board the plane to her destination.

محكمة الاستثمار والتجارة تُلزم شركة طيران بتعويض مسافرة بمبلغ 20 ألف ريال بعد رفض موظفة تابعة لشركة الطيران تمكينها من صعود الطائرة

• الرحلة كانت من #الدوحة إلى عاصمة عربية

• الموظفة خاطبت المُدّعية بصوت عال ٍ وادَّعَت بأنَّها متأخرة ولن تسمح لها بركوب الطائرة للذهاب لوجهتها… pic.twitter.com/atNeTY0TsT

— نديب قطر (@NadeebQa) April 20, 2024

The plaintiff attempted various ways to persuade the employee to allow her to board the plane, especially since there was still ample time, about an hour before departure time. However, the employee refused without justification and treated the passenger in an undignified manner, leading to her breakdown.

According to Article 88 of Law No. (15) of 2002 concerning Civil Aviation, lawsuits for compensation for damages caused by aircraft to third parties on the ground in the country are filed before the court of the place where the incident occurred, provided that an agreement may be reached between one or more plaintiffs and one or more defendants to file lawsuits before the courts of any other country.