UAE: Airline loses Dh1 million lawsuit over double payment of pilot’s end-of service gratuity

The defendant had earlier denied receiving the initial gratuity amount

Ismail Sebugwaawo

Published: Sun 12 Feb 2023, 7:17 AM

Last updated: Sun 12 Feb 2023, 2:43 PM

An airline in the UAE which sued its ex-pilot demanding that he returns Dh1 million it paid him in end-of service gratuity has had its lawsuit dismissed. The airline had claimed that it had paid the pilot’s end-of-service gratuity twice and wanted him to return the amount.

The airline management had filed a lawsuit against the pilot at the Abu Dhabi Family and Civil Administrative Claims Court demanding that he pays back Dh493,000 that it paid as his end-of-service dues. The company also demanded another Dh510,000 that was paid to the pilot in addition, due to previous labour court orders.

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The firm said in its lawsuit that it had hired the pilot to work for the company on an unlimited work contract with a basic salary of Dh24,500. The pilot worked for the airline for 13 years. The company then decided to end his services with the airline in accordance with his work contract, according to the plaintiff.

The airline pointed out that it had transferred Dh493,000 to the pilot's bank account as his end-of-service gratuity after termination of his contract. However, the man went on to file a labour lawsuit against the company in which demanded his labour dues and denying the amount he had earlier received from the airline.

The company explained that the labour courts had issued rulings ordering the airline management to pay Dh833,000 to the pilot in labour dues which was paid because in implementation of the court orders. The airline said this was in addition to Dh510,000, that the pilot had received as his end-service gratuity.

After hearing from all parties and looking into the papers from the first labour court's lawsuit, its appeal and cassation rulings on the case, the judge decided to dismiss the airline’s lawsuit.

The court said in its ruling that the cassation court ruling prevents it from hearing into the subject matter of the case again.

The airline was told to pay for the pilot’s legal expenses.

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