Lost luggage: Bahraini woman beats airline in court, wins compensation

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

The Lower Criminal Court has ordered an airline to pay BD500 to a passenger whose luggage was lost during a trip to Turkiye. The court found the airline liable for the inconvenience and financial burden caused by the lost luggage.

According to lawyer Sarah Al Hawaj, the passenger had booked a flight on the airline from Bahrain International Airport to Istanbul Airport in Turkiye. Upon arrival in Istanbul, the passenger discovered that one of her bags was missing.

This resulted in her having to wait for several hours to confirm the loss and take necessary legal steps to report it. “The lost luggage contained clothes and personal belongings. The passenger was forced to purchase new items and spend additional money to replace the clothes and necessities that were in the lost bag. This disruption significantly impacted her enjoyment of the trip,” the lawyer said.

Negligent

The court found that the airline was negligent in handling the passenger’s luggage, leading to its loss. The court noted that the airline did not deny the loss and failed to appear in court to defend itself.

Based on the evidence presented, the court concluded that the airline was responsible for the damages caused by the lost luggage. The court awarded the passenger BD500 in compensation for the inconvenience and financial losses she incurred.