An airline has been ordered to pay £7000 compensation to a woman accepted for cabin crew training who was then told she couldn't do it because of a hand deformity.

Audrey Beljaflah, 22, who was born with hand abnormalities including deformed fingers, took Air Scotland to a tribunal claiming disability discrimination. It awarded her £7000, including £4000 for injury to her feelings.

Miss Beljaflah, who had an HND in tourism and travel, was interviewed and accepted for Air Scotland's air steward training in 2005. She had to pay £1000, a Glasgow employment tribunal heard.

She said she made the airline aware of her hand disfigurement.

During a short medical prior to training, she was asked to tie the webbing on a life jacket in a bow.

The doctor thought she was "clumsy" doing so and said she'd probably fail the medical as she'd not be able to operate a fire extinguisher, a cabin door or serve hot food.

Miss Beljaflah advised him she had done a health and safety course and could operate a fire extinguisher. She had also worked in a café preparing and serving hot food.

Next day she was told she couldn't do the training because there were certain safety tasks she would not be able to do. She asked for the chance to show she could carry out all safety measures but was refused.

Her GP told the tribunal he believed she could easily carry out the duties of an air steward and the tribunal noted there was no actual examination or consideration by Air Scotland's doctor of what she could or could not do.

The tribunal concluded Miss Beljaflah had been treated less favourably and the airline could not justify its decision.

After winning the compensation, Miss Beljaflah of Cumbernauld Road, Riddrie, Glasgow, said: "I was going to just accept it but my family encouraged me to fight it. I am glad I did. I'm sure I will achieve my goal eventually."

No-one from Air Scotland, a trading name of Greece Airways of West Campbell Street, Glasgow, was at the hearing.