In a case that has reopened old wounds, ninety-four individuals have filed a civil claim at London’s High Court against the UK government and British Airways (BA). The plaintiffs allege that both parties “deliberately endangered” civilians by allowing BA flight 149 to land in Kuwait on August 2, 1990, despite knowing of Iraq’s invasion led by Saddam Hussein.
Passengers and crew of the ill-fated flight, bound for Kuala Lumpur, were taken hostage by Iraqi forces upon landing. They endured over four months of captivity, some being used as human shields against Western military actions during the first Gulf War.
McCue Jury & Partners, representing the claimants, asserted that the UK government and BA prioritized a covert operation over civilian safety, allowing the flight to proceed to insert special ops personnel into occupied Kuwait. Barry Manners, a passenger on the flight and participant in the lawsuit, described the ordeal as being treated “not as citizens but as expendable pawns for commercial and political gain.”
This legal action follows revelations from British government files released in November 2021. The documents disclosed that the UK ambassador to Kuwait had informed London about the Iraqi incursion, but this crucial information was not relayed to BA. Despite ongoing legal battles and past accusations of negligence and conspiracy, British Airways has consistently denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that they were unaware of the invasion.
The lawsuit, which McCue Jury & Partners announced in September, suggests that hostages may seek an estimated £170,000 ($213,000) each in damages. The UK government has refrained from commenting on the ongoing legal matters, while British Airways did not respond to requests for comment, standing by their previous statements that no prior warning was given about the invasion.
In 2003, a French court had already ruled against BA, ordering the airline to compensate the flight’s French hostages, highlighting a “serious failure” in its duty of care by allowing the plane to land amidst the unfolding crisis.
