Former Shell exec files suit vs foreign airline

A former ranking official of local oil giant Pilipinas Shell has filed a P7-million suit against Royal Dutch KLM Airlines for alleged "racial discrimination."

Cesar Buenaventura, former chairman and chief executive officer of Pilipinas Shell Inc., and his wife Maria Lourdes lodged the complaint before the Makati City regional trial court against KLM (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V.) Royal Dutch Airlines, seeking damages after allegedly being subjected to a "humiliating" ordeal by the airline crew.

In his complaint, Buenaventura narrated how they were allegedly maltreated by the crew of KLM flight KL 807 on July 5, 2002 while on their way home from Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The couple claimed they had confirmed their seats in the business section through Northwest Airlines, a partner of KLM, at the Schipol airport in Amsterdam.

At check-in, the couple specifically requested to be seated together at the lower deck of the aircraft due to their medical condition.

But upon boarding and taking their seats as indicated on their boarding passes, the couple said they were "unceremoniously asked to leave" and were transferred to different seats.

The couple claimed they were subjected to uncalled-for statements by equally "rude and arrogant" flight crew members after insisting that their seats had been booked in advance.

The Buenaventuras said they are frequent flyers, but were compelled to seek damages from the airline company after learning that their original seats had been given to a family of four Caucasians.

The incident allegedly triggered the hypertension of Buenaventura and also caused his wife to seek medical attention.

Buenaventura said he had pledged the P7 million in damages he is seeking would be used to start a legal fund for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are also victims of racial discrimination.

"I want it to be my legacy to the OFWs. The legal fund can provide them financial assistance if they want to seek justice for the discrimination they fall victim to in their travel to foreign lands so they can earn money for their families back here in the Philippines," he said.

Buenaventura, an honorary Officer of the British Empire Elizabeth II, stressed the irony of the experience, noting he had been an endorser of KLM and its partner-airline Northwest in the late 1990s.