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BO man kicked off plane
15/11/2006 23:31 - (SA)
Düsseldorf - A passenger who was taken off a flight out of the Hawaiian capital of Honolulu because of his body odour, on Wednesday lost a lawsuit he brought in Germany against British Airways.
A passenger complained to the crew about his smell before take-off and a flight attendant requested the sweating German to change into a clean shirt. However, his clothing was in a bag in the hold, so he and his luggage were left behind in Honolulu.
The man had demanded $2 800 in damages from the airline, alleging his time was wasted and he had to pay more after missing an onward connection back to Düsseldorf in Germany.
He lost his case in a lower court because the fine print on his flight contract said the airline did not carry people who "have extreme body odour". The plaintiff said that he had overheated while hauling three suitcases round the non-air-conditioned airport.
He brought an appeal on Wednesday, but when judges convened, the plaintiff phoned to say that he was stuck in a traffic jam. The Düsseldorf judges threw out the case, saying this was not an adequate excuse.
Martina Griebel, a lawyer for British Airways, said it was the only time the airline had ever applied the "odour" rule to a passenger.
"Personal freedom comes to an end when it limits the freedom of others. "That certainly applies with strong body odour," she said. - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA
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