By Lucy Adautin
Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced on Tuesday that it had offered $10,000 in compensation to passengers who sustained minor injuries during extreme turbulence on a flight last month. The airline also stated it would discuss higher payouts with those who were more severely injured.
The turbulence on flight SQ321 from London resulted in the death of a 73-year-old British man and left several passengers and crew members with skull, brain, and spine injuries.
The Boeing 777-300ER, carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members, was diverted to Bangkok, where the injured were taken to hospitals.
In a statement, SIA confirmed it had emailed offers of US$10,000 in compensation to those with minor injuries from the incident.
“For those who sustained more serious injuries… we have invited them to discuss a compensation offer to meet each of their specific circumstances when they feel well and ready to do so,” the airline said.
“Passengers medically assessed as having sustained serious injuries, requiring long-term medical care, and requesting financial assistance are offered an advance payment of US$25,000 to address their immediate needs.
“This will be part of the final compensation that these passengers will receive”.
In addition, the carrier said it would refund the airfares of all passengers on the flight, including those who were not injured.
“All passengers will also receive delay compensation in accordance with the relevant European Union or United Kingdom regulations,” it said.
As of Tuesday afternoon, 11 passengers from the flight remained hospitalized in Bangkok, according to an SIA spokesperson. The Montreal Convention holds airlines accountable for damages related to passenger injuries or deaths occurring during flights.
“The compensation amounts are determined by the severity of each passenger’s injuries, based on the information provided thus far by the respective medical institutions,” the spokesperson said.
“We recognise that passengers with more serious injuries may require further support tailored to their individual circumstances.”
SIA earlier gave Sg$1,000 ($740) to each passenger departing Bangkok for their final destination to cover their immediate expenses.
It has also been shouldering the medical expenses of the injured passengers, and had arranged for their family members to fly to Bangkok when requested.
“SIA remains committed to supporting the affected passengers who were on board SQ321,” the airline said.
Singapore’s transport ministry reported that a sudden 54-metre (177-foot) altitude drop caused unbelted passengers on a flight to be violently thrown inside the cabin. The incident, which occurred over southern Myanmar, involved a rapid change in gravitational force (G-force), according to a preliminary report by Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau.
The investigation team comprised experts from the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB), the US National Transportation Safety Board, the US Federal Aviation Administration, and Boeing.
