Patrick Bettle

About

Patrick is a senior associate in Burges Salmon’s Dispute Resolution practice and a member of the firm’s top-tier transport team. Patrick is recognised in Legal 500 as a leading associate for aviation disputes.

Patrick’s practice covers all aspects of the aviation industry. He assists clients with commercial disputes at all stages of the lifecycle, as well as with wide-ranging regulatory advice. He acts for airlines, aircraft lessors, OEMs, and maintenance and ancillary service providers in the UK, the EU and beyond. Patrick has a particular interest in decarbonisation and has assisted several leading airlines and suppliers with regulatory investigations into greenwashing concerns.

Patrick holds an Advanced Masters in Air and Space Law from Leiden University, where he is also a guest lecturer on air law, and he is a Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Patrick has published academic work focussing on consumer protection in aviation and in 2024 he was awarded the European Air Law Association Prize for a paper on the topic. Patrick is registered on the Irish Roll of Solicitors.

Prior to joining Burges Salmon in 2025, Patrick had accrued close to a decade of experience at one of London’s leading international law firms.

Experience

• Aircraft leasing: Acting for a lessor in English High Court Proceedings to successfully recover millions of dollars in unpaid rent from a major Indian low-cost airline.
• Competition claim: Acting for a leading European airline in English High Court Proceedings brought by an online travel agent claiming anti-competitive behaviour.
• Airport dispute: Representing a leading European airline before the LCIA in a dispute concerning the categorisation of certain routes under the relevant airport services agreement.
• Regulatory advice: Advising on a wide range of aspects including the ATOL Regulations, Package Travel Regulations, EU/UK Regulation 261/2004, Montreal Convention 1999, carrier fines, ownership and control, and disruptive passengers.
• Greenwashing: Assisting a leading European airline in responding to an investigation brought by the Advertising Standards Authority regarding certain claims made about the airline’s environmental credentials.
• Catering dispute: Acting for a leading global aviation caterer in a dispute concerning the provision of premium catering services to a European flag carrier.

Credentials

• Admitted as a solicitor: England & Wales (2008), Ireland (2019)
• LLM (Adv.) Air and Space Law, Leiden University (2024)
• Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society (MRAeS) (2025)