Sixty former students of Pilot Flight Academy have sued Espen Høiby, 67, the brother of Norway's Queen Mette-Marit, NRK reports. Høiby was one of the owners of the private flight school, which went bankrupt last winter.
About 40 people lost their jobs and 160 students lost their study places.
Before the bankruptcy, the 60 students had paid school fees of 250,000 kroner, about 24,000 euros, in advance. They lost both their study places and their money. They are seeking compensation for financial losses.
They also sued the school's CEO, Per Mikael Eriksson.
Sigurd Kambestad, a lawyer for the Parat trade union representing the students, told NRK that their understanding is that Høiby was responsible for the decisions that led to the situation. Lawyer Kristoffer Aasebø says there are no grounds for the claim against Høiby because he never sat on the school's board. NRK has reported that the school may be suspected of fraud and should by law have filed for bankruptcy much earlier.
Claims say the flight school was in financial difficulties as early as summer 2023.
At his first dinner for parliament on 22 October, King Haakon said Mette-Marit would have liked to be there but must recover from a successful lung operation this summer. "The first year after such a comprehensive procedure is quite fragile, and she has felt that in recent weeks, but we are all very grateful that things are. And fortunately they are," Haakon said.
He said she asked him to send her greetings and thanks for warm care. The royal house has said Mette-Marit has no official program before next summer.