Qatar’s Investment and Trade Court orders compensation for a passenger “unjustly” denied boarding.

Qatar’s Investment and Trade Court has ordered an airline to compensate a passenger who was unjustly denied boarding, in a case that underscores the rights of travellers and the responsibilities of carriers.

The court sided with the passenger, granting a QAR 20,000 (around $5,500) award for both material and moral damages, with the ruling promptly enforceable.

The lawsuit, brought before the court by the affected passenger, sought QAR 500,000 in compensation for material and moral damages, as well as expenses and legal fees.

While the identity of the carrier remains undisclosed, the details of the incident were detailed in local media Al Sharq.

According to the plaintiff’s account, the ordeal began at the boarding gate of a flight from Doha to an Arab capital.

Despite arriving on time and completing check-in procedures, the passenger was met with hostility from an airline employee who adamantly refused her passage, alleging tardiness.

Efforts to reason with the staff member proved to be useless, with the passenger’s pleas not holding up.

The refusal, delivered without valid justification, escalated tensions and resulted in the individual’s distress and subsequent medical attention.

This sequence of events not only resulted in the loss of the flight but also inflicted both material and moral damages upon the affected party, as stated in the report.

Representing the plaintiff, Attorney Abdullah Nuaimi Al Hajri of the Qatari Lawyers Association presented the case, arguing for the contractual obligations between the passenger and the airline, established through the passenger’s ticket, which obligated the airline to facilitate her journey between capitals.

He stressed that the airline’s refusal to permit boarding, despite the completion of requisite procedures and punctual arrival, resulted in financial losses such as missed flights and ticket expenses, as well as emotional distress stemming from the disrespectful treatment endured by the passenger.