The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered Shaheen Airline to pay damages to passengers who were left stranded in Guangzhou, China, after the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) suspended the airline's flight operations in August.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nasir, while hearing the case on Wednesday, increased the amount that the lawyer for Shaheen Airline estimated as compensation to be paid to affected passengers.

During the hearing, Shaheen Airline's lawyer said that there were 200 passengers who were affected by the delay in some cases for a day, others for three or six days.

He estimated the damages as Rs125,000 for each passenger affected for six days, Rs100,000 for passengers affected for three days and Rs50,000 for passengers who were stranded for a day.

Based on this calculation, the total value came to Rs17 million. The lawyer said that the airline had submitted Rs20m to the court.

Increasing the amount estimated by the lawyer, CJP Nisar instructed the airline to pay those passengers who were stranded for six days Rs150,000 each and Rs125,000 to those stranded for three days. The top judge told the lawyer to calculate the estimated payments for all other passengers on this basis.

Noting that the airline had so far deposited Rs20m, the judge said the remaining amount should be deposited in 10 days and wrapped up the case.

Stranded in China

On July 29, the SAI flight to Guangzhou was cancelled after the CAA had suspended the airline's flight operations, except Haj flights, because of non-payment of its dues of over Rs1.5 billion. Over 300 passengers were left stranded at the Chinese airport. Later, some passengers were refunded their tickets, while some others were transferred to hotels and provided food, etc.

The remaining 214 passengers of the airline had remained stranded in China for almost nine days, eventually returning after Chief Justice Nisar ordered immediate repatriation of the passengers.

The CAA had given special permission to the SAI to send a plane to bring back the passengers on August 6.