Zimbabwean family sues Air Namibia for $1 million

A Zimbabwean family that was deported after being detained for two days by Air Namibia officials in Windhoek, while in transit to Turkey, has filed a $1 million lawsuit against the airline for the inconvenience suffered.

The applicants in the matter are Chenjerai, Fadzai, Rutendo and Tadiwanashe Mawumba and Juliana Magombedze, while the respondent was cited as Air Namibia (Proprietary) Limited.

According to court papers, the family claims to have been unlawfully detained by Air Namibia officials, before being deported back to Zimbabwe.

"The respondent unlawfully barred applicants from travelling to Turkey in violation of the agreement between first applicant (Chenjerai) and the respondent (Air Namibia).

"Further, the respondent's officials illegally detained and harassed applicants at Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek, Namibia for two days, thus occasioning the applicants pain, suffering and trauma," the applicants said.

They further said they are now seeking an order to attach the airline's property in Zimbabwe to satisfy their $1 million demand.

Chenjerai told the court that at the beginning of last year, he decided to fulfill a long-term dream to travel to Turkey on vacation with his family.

He then applied for visas, which application was granted. Pursuant to this development, Chenjerai made six night reservations for three rooms at the Sheraton Istanbul Atakoy Hotel at a total of $2 656, 13.

He went further and purchased five economy class air tickets to and from Istanbul for $4 138.

"On the 15th of February 2017, at Robert Mugabe International Airport in Harare, we boarded an Air Namibia flight number SW374 bound for Windhoek in Namibia where we were meant to catch another of respondent's flight that would eventually convey us to Turkey through Frankfurt, Germany," he said, adding that on that day, they arrived in Windhoek, expecting to catch a flight that would take them to Europe.

"To our utter shock and consternation, we were advised by Air Namibia officials that we were not permitted to travel to Turkey as planned because of our Zimbabwean nationality.

This communication was made in the most racist, arbitrary and extemporary fashion I have ever countenanced," he said.

He also said the denial of access to board a flight to Europe was not done by Namibian and Turkish immigration authorities but by the airline officials.

"The decision to bar us from travelling to Turkey was not accompanied by any meaningful or lawful reasons and we were not permitted to make any representations to assert our freedom of movement," he said.

He also said for the two days that they stayed at the airport before being deported to Zimbabwe, they were not offered accommodation or food and had to put up on airport benches.

"As if the humiliation and torture of not being allowed to proceed with our lawful journey was not enough, we were openly subjected to endless and disparaging remarks by the respondent's officials on account of our Zimbabwean nationality," Chenjerai said.

He said he later saw some communication to the effect that about 12 Zimbabweans had been barred from travelling to Turkey as they were suspected of trying to seek political asylum.

He also established that the airline had a policy of barring Zimbabweans and other nationalities access to Europe in a bid to save itself from paying fines imposed by Germany authorities for the conveyance of illegal passengers.

Chenjerai said, while the airline was aware of this policy, it still accepted his flight payments.

He said the applicants are entitled to $1 million in damages arising from pain, shock and suffering at the hands of the airline officials.

He further sought permission to attach the airline's property in Zimbabwe.

The High Court is yet to make a determination in the matter.