Was your connecting flight cancelled? You might be entitled to compensation

The court approved today, Sunday, a settlement in a class action lawsuit against the airline Flydubai. The lawsuit concerned passengers who purchased a ticket including a connecting flight but did not reach their final destination because one of the flight segments was cancelled, and subsequently did not receive a full refund.

As part of the settlement, the company has committed to identifying passengers who may be eligible for an additional refund, contacting them proactively, and providing them with financial vouchers. In addition, Flydubai will update the information on its website regarding passenger rights.

The core of the claim

The process began in January 2025, when passenger Shahal Bezalel filed a request with the Central District Court (Lod) to approve a class action lawsuit. The main argument was that if a flight segment is cancelled, preventing the passenger from reaching their final destination, the airline is obligated to refund the entire ticket price, not just the cancelled portion.

The case was triggered by Bezalel’s own experience, having purchased six tickets for his family from Sri Lanka to Israel with a stopover in Dubai. The connecting flight from Dubai was cancelled, and the family could not complete their journey. According to the plaintiff, Flydubai did not return the full amount paid for the tickets.

Settlement details

Flydubai rejected the claims, arguing that it was a relatively small number of cases. After reviewing the data, the company estimated that the relevant group includes about 103 passengers, with a maximum total refund amount of approximately 275,000 shekels. The parties reached a settlement, which was subsequently approved by the Central District Court (Lod).

In practice, this means the following:

1. Flydubai will proactively check passengers whose flights in the last four years included a connection, where a segment was cancelled and the passenger did not reach their final destination.

2. The company will attempt to contact these passengers via email or through the travel agencies used for booking.

3. Eligible passengers will receive a financial voucher for the difference between the amount already refunded and the full price paid for the ticket.

4. A notice will be published on the website of Flydubai’s representative in Israel for nine months, allowing passengers to check their eligibility for a voucher.

Furthermore, Flydubai will update its website to clarify that if a segment cancellation prevents a passenger from reaching their final destination, they are entitled to a full ticket refund under established conditions.

Judge Keren Azulay approved a reward of 7,000 shekels for the plaintiff, Shahal Bezalel, as well as attorney fees of 42,000 shekels plus VAT.