Passengers File Lawsuit Against Airlink After They Were Kicked Off Flight

Two Mozambican passengers have filed a lawsuit against Airlink for damages following their removal from a flight in Johannesburg.

The incident led to the suspension of services to Nampula, Mozambique.

Airlink claimed the passengers behaviour was unruly and threatening, and while the two were removed from the flight, their family members exited voluntarily.

Airlink, which operates 70 of commercial air travel between South Africa and Mozambique under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement BASA, said that the lawsuit included a court application to seize its aircraft pending the outcome.

In terms of the BASA, both states' respective authorities are bound to intervene to prevent any unlawful seizure of aircraft operated by Airlink, including any threats of seizure. On this basis, Airlink has notified South Africa's Department of Transport, the Department of International Relations Cooperation, as well as the SACAA South African Civil Aviation Authority and its Mozambique counterpart authority, the IACM, Airlink said .