The Supreme Court (SC) has upheld the decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) that ordered Air France Philippines/KLM Air France (AF) to pay a passenger P1.64 million in moral, actual, and exemplary damages, including attorney’s fees for violating its contract of carriage.

In a resolution written by Associate Justice Renato C. Corona, the First Division of the SC ordered AF to pay legal interest at the rate of 6 percent per annum from April 25, 2007 the day the Makati regional trial court (RTC) promulgated its decision and which was upheld with modification by the CA.

After the decision of the High Court attains finality, the court said Air France shall pay a 12 percent interest on all sums awarded until full satisfaction of the court’s judgment.

John Anthony de Camilis was on a pilgrimage with a group of Filipinos to selected countries in Europe when his pleasure trip turned into a nightmare. He was denied entry to Moscow because Air France’s agent failed to inform him that he needed an entry visa for Moscow.

De Camilis pleaded with Air France to allow him to get in touch with his travel companions to inform them that he would no longer be joining them as he was being sent back to Paris for lack of entry visa. But Air France rudely denied his request, sent him back with a security escort and tagged him as a “security threat.”

In Paris and Rome, records show that De Camilis was subjected to further humiliation when the police interrogated him further and worse, lifted his flight coupons for the rest of his trip.