Virgin Australia is being sued for over AUD 1 million by Pilot

Virgin Australia is facing an AUD 1 million plus law suit from one of their pilots who is claiming medical expenses and loss of earnings because he was forced to carry flight charts.

Mr David Linton Kloster, claimed he had hurt his back after carrying his 18kg flight bag which contained aviation charts and manuals on 29 December 2009, The Daily Telegraph reported.

In documents lodged in the Queensland Supreme Court, Mr Kloster claimed that the injury sustained to his lower back would not have happened if the carrier stored the information electronically on an iPad, instead of making pilots have to carry the information.

"The defendant (Virgin Australia) exposed the plaintiff Mr Kloster to a risk of injury which could have been avoided by the exercise of reasonable care," the documents wrote.

"(Virgin Australia) failed to have in place a system of work whereby charts and rules could have been left on board its aircraft or kept electronically on an iPad."

Due to the injury sustained, Mr Kloster will be facing an expected economic loss of AUD817, 546, medical expenses of AUD112, 182 and special damages of AUD76, 080 the affidavit wrote.

Virgin Australia has not yet responded to the lawsuit which was filed last month and Corporate Affairs Manager Emma Copeman said they had not received notification of legal action yet.

“However Virgin Australia takes its obligations with respect to protecting the health and safety of those involved in its operations very seriously," Ms Copeman said.