Traveler’s Legal Battle Over Missing Kitesurf Gear
A Dutch traveler has sought legal recourse in the Netherlands after her kitesurfing equipment, valued at €4,340, vanished during her journey with Royal Air Maroc from Amsterdam to Dakhla. The incident took place on April 22, 2024, when the passenger checked in her bag at Amsterdam Airport, embarking on flights AT851 and AT1420 with a layover in Casablanca. Upon arrival in Dakhla, she was dismayed to find that her bag had not been returned, not even on the subsequent flight. As a result, she promptly reported the loss at the airport.
Fortunately for her, the missing bag was equipped with an Apple AirTag, a small tracking device, which revealed its last known location in Casablanca, far from the airport premises. This information was crucial and was presented to the Noord-Holland court in the Netherlands as part of her case, according to a ruling issued on March 25, 2026, and published on October 29.
Legal Proceedings and Court Decision
In her court proceedings, the traveler primarily sought the return of her belongings. In the event that the bag could not be located, she demanded compensation, providing purchase receipts for her kitesurfing gear to substantiate her claim.
However, the court made a significant distinction in its ruling. While the AirTag provided a location for the bag, the fact that it was found outside the airport did not prove that Royal Air Maroc still had possession of it. Consequently, the judge denied her request to compel the airline to return the bag. Nevertheless, the court acknowledged that the luggage had gone missing while under the airline's responsibility. Therefore, Royal Air Maroc was ordered to compensate the traveler, even though she would not be able to reclaim her equipment.
The invoices for her gear totaled €4,340. It is important to note that the traveler had not declared a special value for her luggage at check-in, as highlighted by the court. Ultimately, she was awarded €1,225.79 in compensation, along with an additional €598.04 to cover legal fees.
As reported by bladi.net.
