Flydubai Passengers May Receive Up To $160,000 Each in Compensation

Passengers aboard a Flydubai flight that experienced a suspected terror incident may be eligible for compensation of up to approximately 600,000 shekels (about $160,000) per person. The compensation is based on the Montreal Convention, an international treaty governing airline liability in cases of accidents or terror events. Aviation law expert Adv. Ehud Pai explained that the convention sets a compensation ceiling of around 630,000 shekels per passenger.

However, Pai emphasized that this is not an automatic payout. Each passenger must individually prove the damages they suffered, including psychological harm, which may take time to manifest. For children, a follow-up period of six months to a year may be necessary to assess damages. The statute of limitations for claims under the convention is two years, and passengers are advised to document any harm systematically.

The incident involved a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, where the co-pilot allegedly attempted to crash the plane. This event has also raised questions about how an Omani citizen, from a country considered an enemy state, was allowed to pilot a flight to Israel. Pai suggested that if negligence in oversight by the Ministry of Transport is proven, the ministry could also be sued.

Despite the potential to sue the Ministry of Transport, Pai noted it is not necessary, as passengers can directly sue Flydubai. In such cases, the airline would bear the burden of proving it was not negligent. The Montreal Convention also recognizes psychological damage as grounds for compensation, a precedent established by the Supreme Court in the 1980s concerning a hijacked Air France flight.