The airline Kuwait Airways does not have to carry Israeli citizens. This was decided by District Court of Frankfurt (AZ 2-24 o 37/17). The judges thus rejected action of an Israeli passenger against Kuwaiti airline for transport and compensation for discrimination. He had sued because airline had cancelled his ticket for a flight from Frankfurt to Bangkok after experiencing customer’s nationality. The airline referred to Kuwaiti laws banning conclusion of a contract with Israeli citizens. Kuwait does not recognise Israel.
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The offer of a transfer to anor airline at full cost was rejected by man and turned against discrimination against District Court. It was not reasonable for airline to “fulfil a contract if it had committed a violation of law according to rules of its own State and refore had to expect it to be punished re”, it was said in decision of Frankfurt court. The German court did not decide wher Kuwaiti law was sensible and could be in accordance with provisions of German and European legal order.
The court could not see any discrimination against plaintiff: discrimination only applies to a disadvantage “for reasons of race, ethnic origin or religion”, but not because of a certain nationality.
Central of Jews calls for amendment of law
The plaintiff’s lawyer appeared in a first statement “deeply shocked” about decision and announced appeal. The verdict was shameful for democracy and for Germany, plaintiff’s lawyer said. “This judgement cannot be maintained.”
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The Central of Jews in Germany called on federal government to “examine all legal possibilities to exclude such cases of discrimination in Germany for future”. The Kuwaiti Israel boycott law recalls worst times of persecution of Jews among Nazis. “It is intolerable that a foreign company acting on basis of deeply anti-Semitic national laws may operate in Germany,” it said in an opinion.
In past, similar lawsuits against Kuwait Airways in USA and Switzerland had been decided against airline.
