Ukraine International Airlines must compensate Israeli passengers over racial slurs, court rules
An Israeli court has agreed that two Jewish passengers were subjected to antisemitic abuse by ground staff of Ukraine International Airlines (UIA).
A Small Claims Court in Rishon LeZion, Central Israel, ruled that UIA must pay compensation over the incident in April 2019 when the passengers took a UIA flight from Vienna to Tel Aviv.
The two were allegedly ridiculed and subjected to racial slurs by ground staff after trying to switch items between pieces of luggage to avoid an excess-baggage fee. One comment, allegedly made in English by UIA personnel, was: “Why do Jews always have a problem about paying?” Another comment was: “Only €60 and the Jews have a problem about paying.” UIA ground staff were allegedly also overheard joking and making remarks in German.
The Israeli passengers were prevented from boarding their flight. UIA claimed that this was due to the excess baggage fee, but the court accepted the passengers’ claim that it was due to the flight being overbooked.
The court ordered the airline to pay a total 5,000 shekels (£1,145) in compensation for verbal abuse and a delay in receiving their baggage. UIA denied the claims and alleged that the passengers behaved badly.
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