A court has ordered a shoe shop to pay Air Malta €15,253 after a consignment of shoes delivered to the airline almost 22 years ago failed to meet the expected standards.

The court case was instituted by then Air Malta chairman Joseph Tabone against the British Shoe Store Company Ltd.

Under the contract, the shoes, for female staff, were meant to be made of “real leather material, kid or calf or full grain, with anti-slip soles”.

The company was paid but it turned out the shoes were made of synthetic plastic material reinforced with textile. Staff found them unsuitable and uncomfortable and the airline was forced to buy another consignment from a different supplier.

The store insisted the shoes were the same as a sample that had been approved by the airline.

Air Malta won a court case in 1996 over its demand for a full refund and the difference in costs incurred to buy the shoes elsewhere. In 2000 an appeal by the shop was dismissed.

Yesterday, Mr Justice Wenzu Mintoff decided on compensation along the lines requested by Air Malta.