32 passengers whose return flight from Batumi was cancelled over Pesach 2023 won about ILS 6,250 each. Israir said it would appeal.
What happened
According to the reports, close to departure the passengers were told the flight would leave from Kutaisi instead, about three hours away. They were bussed there in the rain, with no airline representative and no suitable food, and only on arrival were told the flight was cancelled because the crew had run out of permitted working hours.
What the court decided
Israir argued extreme weather. Judge Adi Hadar of the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court rejected that: the airline should have prepared a replacement crew, especially after a failed landing attempt the day before, and the decision not to was a purely financial one. The court also found flaws in the airline’s expert opinion, and noted that religious passengers were not given kosher food during the long wait. The total award: about ILS 200,000.
What to take from it
- "Weather" or "force majeure" isn’t the end of the story – the airline has to prove it did everything it could.
- No kosher food during a wait is part of the missing assistance, and courts take it into account.
- Records made at the time – messages, photos, receipts – make a claim much stronger.
More: No kosher food during a delay – your rights.
General information, not legal advice. EinTisa is not a law firm.