Judgment Ordering Saudi Airlines (Saudia) to Pay EGP 1.4 Million in Compensation for Arbitrary Dismissal
The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights obtained a judgment from the North Cairo Primary Court ordering the General Corporation of Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) to pay EGP 1,393,484 to Shereen M. A., as compensation for her wrongful dismissal, payment in lieu of accrued annual leave, payment in lieu of the statutory notice period, in addition to material and moral damages.
The facts of the case, filed in July 2025 by Mariam Mahmoud, a lawyer at the Egyptian Center, on behalf of the plaintiff, stem from the plaintiff’s employment with Saudi Airlines Catering Company, which commenced in October 2005. She was appointed to the position of Computer Supervisor in the Information Technology Department, and an employment contract was executed on July 1, 2006. She was duly registered with the National Organization for Social Insurance. The plaintiff continued working in the IT Department and, in 2008, was transferred to the Maintenance Department. Due to her diligence and distinguished performance, she was promoted in 2023 to the position of Head of the Maintenance Department. Throughout her tenure, the claimant was known for her discipline, dedication, integrity, and compliance, and was never subjected to any disciplinary penalties or administrative investigations.
On April 15, 2025, the claimant was unexpectedly notified of the termination of her employment and was compelled to sign a termination notice, without receiving her financial entitlements, without being issued a certificate of experience, and without the return of her original employment documents, and without any lawful justification, in clear violation of the provisions of the Egyptian Labor Law.
As a result, the plaintiff reported the incident to Al-Nozha Police Station, where she filed an official record on the same date. She also submitted a complaint to the Al-Nozha Labor Office. Following the failure of amicable settlement efforts, the complaint was referred to the competent court, and the case was registered before the North Cairo Primary Court under Case No. 2868 of 2025 (General Labor), North Cairo.
After hearing the case over several sessions, the court rendered its judgment on December 30, 2025, ordering the General Corporation of Saudi Arabian Airlines to pay the plaintiff EGP 1,306,892 as compensation for arbitrary dismissal, EGP 10,000 as moral damages, EGP 46,264 as the difference in payment in lieu of the notice period, EGP 7,710 as a salary differential, and EGP 22,618 as the difference in payment for accrued annual leave. The court further ordered the employer to issue a certificate of experience to the claimant and to return the original employment documents related to her appointment
