Five Australian women who say they were pulled from a Qatar Airways flight by armed guards and strip-searched, have won the right to sue the airline, after a court on Thursday overturned an earlier decision to dismiss the case.
Women on 10 Qatar Airways flights, including 13 Australians, were subjected to invasive examinations to determine if they had recently given birth. It's after a newborn baby was found abandoned at Doha’s Hamad Airport in October 2020.
The incident drew global headlines, sparked outrage in Australia and strained diplomatic ties with Qatar.
A group of five women on a Sydney-bound flight launched legal action in 2022 against Qatar Airways, Doha Airport operator MATAR, and Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority. They brought claims under the Montreal Convention, which covers airline liability, as well as negligence, assault and false imprisonment.
The women sought damages for the impact on their mental health, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, stemming from the "unlawful physical contact".
After being escorted off their flight by armed Qatari authorities, some women said they were forced to remove their underwear and subjected to non-consensual gynaecological inspections by a nurse in ambulances on the tarmac.
Federal Court Justice John Halley dismissed the claims against Qatar Airways last year, ruling they had no reasonable prospect of success and that Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority was immune from Australian law.
On Thursday, the full Federal Court overturned the ruling against Qatar Airways, saying the issue was too complex to be summarily dismissed.
“Whether or not the claims come within the scope of (the Montreal Convention) is a matter of some complexity,” the summary judgment said.
“It is therefore not an issue apt to be decided at the stage of summary dismissal.”
The decision allows the women to continue their lawsuit against Qatar Airways and MATAR. Both companies were ordered to pay the costs of the appeal.
“Our clients endured a traumatic experience on that night in Doha, and they deserve to have their day in court and compensation for their suffering,” said Damian Sturzaker, a lawyer from Marque Lawyers representing the women.
“We will continue to support them as the case continues in the Federal Court.”
Nexperia’s China unit has told its employees to follow directives from local management and disregard instructions from the company’s Dutch head o...
Russia said that its Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, and U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, had a “constructive” conversation as they began pr...
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke to his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty in a telephone conversation over the weekend where issues of ...
The Communist Party of China has opened the fourth plenary session of its 20th Central Committee in Beijing, as Xi Jinping outlined the country’s ac...
The Louvre, one of the world’s most visited museums, saw its priceless 19th-century crown jewels stolen in just seven minutes....
Nexperia’s China unit has told its employees to follow directives from local management and disregard instructions from the company’s Dutch head office, marking a rare public split between a multinational firm and its overseas subsidiary.
Russia said that its Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, and U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, had a “constructive” conversation as they began preparations for an upcoming summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke to his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty in a telephone conversation over the weekend where issues of mutual interest discussed.
The Communist Party of China has opened the fourth plenary session of its 20th Central Committee in Beijing, as Xi Jinping outlined the country’s achievements over the past five years and presented the draft framework for the next phase of national development.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has arrived in the Republic of Kazakhstan for a state visit on Monday 20th October.
Israeli Military has confirmed it opened fire on what it called "several approaching terrorists" who crossed the yellow line in the Shejaiya area in Gaza, sparking fears that the ceasefire will not hold.
Germany has recalled its ambassador to Georgia, Ernst Peter Fischer, for what it says are “consultations on how to proceed”.
A passenger plane operated by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) was forced to return to St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport on Monday while en route to Baku.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned that the collapse of the Gaza ceasefire would not trigger a conventional war but rather a renewed genocide, highlighting Türkiye’s leadership role and calling for accountability for damages.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment