BRITISH AIRWAYS passengers who suffered deep vein thrombosis have taken their claim for compensation to Britain's highest court of appeal. The case will ask for a ruling on whether the potentially fatal blood clots linked to air travel can be considered accidents under the Warsaw Convention. A ruling for the claimants would lead to action against 18 airlines, including BA, Qantas, Airtours International Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways and Continental Airlines. Three years ago the airlines successfully argued DVT was not caused by an ''unexpected or unusual event'' external to the passenger - the definition of an accident under the 1929 convention.
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