An appellate court has upheld Ethiopian Airlines' position in a dispute with a passenger who sought 4 million rubles in compensation after being denied boarding.
Lawyers from the "Attorneys Group" Moscow Law Office, Mr. Yury Morozov and Ms. Eugenia Mazanova, successfully represented the airline's interests.
Case Background: The plaintiff purchased a ticket for a flight from Buenos Aires to Moscow but refused to pay a $325 fee for transporting her bicycle as oversized baggage. During check-in, shortly before it closed, she was asked to pay the surcharge. After both the passenger and her companion refused, they were denied boarding. They subsequently purchased tickets via Istanbul and filed a lawsuit seeking compensation for their expenses (232,000 rubles) and moral damages.
Legal Strategy: The strategy developed by Yuri Morozov (at the trial court level) and Evgenia Mazanova (on appeal) focused on proving Ethiopian Airlines' compliance with its carriage regulations, which align with the 1999 Montreal Convention. They demonstrated the airline was not at fault, as the passenger arrived late during check-in and refused to pay for excess baggage. The lawyers also emphasized that international law governed the claim, specifically Article 29 of the Montreal Convention, which limits compensation to proven actual damages.
Outcome: The Tyumen Regional Court upheld the trial court's ruling, fully dismissing the passenger's lawsuit. Ethiopian Airlines' actions were deemed lawful.
This victory underscores the importance of strict adherence to aviation regulations and highlights the high level of expertise required in international air law. For Ethiopian Airlines, it establishes an important precedent supporting the consistent application of uniform service standards.
Lawyers from the "Attorneys Group" Moscow Law Office, Mr. Yury Morozov and Ms. Eugenia Mazanova, successfully represented the airline's interests.
Case Background: The plaintiff purchased a ticket for a flight from Buenos Aires to Moscow but refused to pay a $325 fee for transporting her bicycle as oversized baggage. During check-in, shortly before it closed, she was asked to pay the surcharge. After both the passenger and her companion refused, they were denied boarding. They subsequently purchased tickets via Istanbul and filed a lawsuit seeking compensation for their expenses (232,000 rubles) and moral damages.
Legal Strategy: The strategy developed by Yuri Morozov (at the trial court level) and Evgenia Mazanova (on appeal) focused on proving Ethiopian Airlines' compliance with its carriage regulations, which align with the 1999 Montreal Convention. They demonstrated the airline was not at fault, as the passenger arrived late during check-in and refused to pay for excess baggage. The lawyers also emphasized that international law governed the claim, specifically Article 29 of the Montreal Convention, which limits compensation to proven actual damages.
Outcome: The Tyumen Regional Court upheld the trial court's ruling, fully dismissing the passenger's lawsuit. Ethiopian Airlines' actions were deemed lawful.
This victory underscores the importance of strict adherence to aviation regulations and highlights the high level of expertise required in international air law. For Ethiopian Airlines, it establishes an important precedent supporting the consistent application of uniform service standards.
