The legal dispute between Austrian Airlines (AUA) and investor Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber has been ongoing since 2008, with estimates suggesting that AUA may have to pay a mid-double-digit million sum to resolve the matter, not including legal and procedural expenses. The Vienna Commercial Court ruled in April 2023 in favor of Al Jaber, stating that a former AUA board member had misled him by withholding crucial financial information.
In January of the following year, the Vienna Higher Regional Court upheld the initial ruling, prompting Al Jaber to seek high damages. Austrian Airlines decided not to appeal further and instead initiated settlement discussions at the highest levels of the company, including with the involvement of parent company Lufthansa. The pursuit of a settlement is seen as a positive development attributed to the new AUA board and its CEO Annette Mann.
According to a report by Salzburg News am Sonntag Online, both parties involved have not provided comments on the ongoing negotiations. However, it is reported that AUA is now considering settling with Al Jaber. The appeal process alone at the Higher Regional Court cost 1.345 million euros.
