Airline supervisor guilty of embezzling Dh30,000

A British Airways customer services supervisor has been convicted of embezzling more than Dh30,000 of compensation money and sentenced to two months in jail.

DUBAI // A British Airways customer services supervisor was today convicted of embezzling more than Dh30,000 of compensation money from the carrier and sentenced to two months in jail. The 31-year-old supervisor, who was employed by the airline for nine years, was charged last week with breach of trust, forgery and use of forged documents to illegally acquire Dh30,730 from British Airways. Iranian L H, who is stationed at British Airways' office at Dubai International Airport was convicted at the Dubai Court of Misdemeanours for using a debit card belonging to the airline to withdraw the amounts. The debit card is used to pay compensation to passengers for lost baggage, damaged luggage or cancelled flights, prosecution records show. A complaint was filed on December 1 by British Airways' commercial director for the Middle East. The complaint came after a customer services manager discovered a discrepancy in one of the compensation claims and informed the director. "A £300 (Dh1,800) payment was made by L H in a claim that was supposed to be worth £90," he said. "Further investigations between Dubai and London revealed she has regularly been funneling money from the airline". L H was retried after her case was initially dismissed last March on grounds that the case was beyond its jurisdiction. The conviction is expected to be appealed before the end of the week. [e-mail]