Emirates airline has apologised to a disabled passenger who felt “humiliated” after abandoning her luggage in Dubai so she could carry life-saving oxygen equipment on board a flight to Pakistan.
Amna Raheel, who has muscular dystrophy, was flying from Dubai to Karachi when she was told she would have to pay extra to take her oxygen concentrator on board flight EK606 on August 9.
Her genetic condition causes muscles to gradually weaken over time, leading to an increasing level of disability.
Ms Raheel, a Pakistan citizen, also has a lung condition, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
She requires the oxygen when she gets out of breath, particularly at altitude, and regularly travels with the device.
Emirates has a policy allowing similar medical devices to be carried on board, if signed off by a medical practitioner in advance.
But on checking in her luggage at Dubai International Airport’s terminal three, ground staff said Ms Raheel would have to pay an excess baggage fee, as the weight of the equipment took her above her free allocation.
“I was told that I was overweight and my oxygen concentrator would be counted in my baggage allowance, which was highly absurd since I was carrying a medical certificate with me,” said Ms Raheel, who posted of her experience on social media.
“That would mean that if a person with disability is carrying a life-saving equipment with them, they are not allowed to carry any other form of luggage, including essential items like clothes, shoes or toiletries.
“If a wheelchair for disabled passengers is free of baggage allowance, then lifesaving medical equipment should be too.
“I am a frequent traveller and I have never in my 31 years of travel life faced such humiliation by airport staff.”
Despite presenting a medical letter from Dr Ali bin Sarwar Zubairi, a pulmonologist at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi, check-in staff refused to accept the device as an essential piece of equipment and insisted she paid an excess baggage fee.
Ms Raheel, who runs her own wellness gift business, said she was forced to abandon her luggage at the airport and fly home to Pakistan just with her oxygen machine.
The airline has since apologised and said it would review its procedures.
Emirates apologises for incident
“Emirates would like to offer our sincere apologies for the distress and inconvenience caused to Ms Raheel,” an official said.
“We pride ourselves on our customer service and were disappointed to learn that our policies relating to the carriage of portable oxygen devices were misinterpreted by check-in staff, coupled with behaviour that did not reflect our values and service standards.
“We take this feedback seriously and are taking the necessary steps to ensure that incidents such as this do not happen again.
“Our customer affairs team is currently in contact with Ms Raheel.”
Assisted ventilation for people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy has become more common outside of hospital, as devices are now smaller and more portable.
The equipment used by Ms Raheel concentrates oxygen from a gas supply by removing nitrogen to supply an oxygen enriched flow of vapour that can be inhaled.
They are particularly useful for those with breathing difficulties or respiratory conditions such as asthma, and typically cost around Dh3,000 ($816) to Dh5,000.
Oxygen concentrators are also used by patients recovering from a long-term covid-19 infection that has left them with scarring on lung tissue, making it difficult to breathe.
Charity offers new machine
Faisal Jamil, chairman of the Humanitarian Association for National Development Support, in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, read of Ms Raheel’s experience and would like to donate a smaller, more portable device made by Philips for her to use in future.
“We have been using these devices with covid patients in Pakistan for more than two years now,” he said.
“Normally, some airlines do not allow people to fly with these [larger] kind of machines, so we have arranged for a brand-new, battery-operated oxygen concentrator for her to use in future.”
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
Venom
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
Rating: 1.5/5
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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