A 73-year-old British man was killed in May on a Singapore Airlines aircraft that was severely impacted by turbulence. Passengers on that trip will get $10,000 in restitution for injuries they sustained.
On board aircraft SQ321, father-of-two Geoff Kitchen had what seemed to be a heart attack. Several other Londoners, both passengers and crew, sustained brain, spinal, and skull injuries during the harrowing ordeal.
A Boeing 777-300ER heading for Singapore was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, where the wounded were sent to hospitals. The plane was carrying 211 travelers and 18 crew members.
With plans to negotiate greater settlements with those who were more badly affected, Singapore Airlines (SIA) said in a statement that it had emailed customers proposing US$10,000 in compensation for mild injuries incurred during the incident.
The airline said that it has asked those who had more severe injuries to consider a compensation offer tailored to their circumstances whenever they are healthy enough to do so.
An advance of $25,000 is granted to passengers who have been medically determined to have suffered significant injuries, need long-term medical treatment, and have requested financial help in order to handle their urgent requirements. Passengers will get this as part of their final reimbursement.
The airline also promised to reimburse the tickets of everyone on board, including those who escaped unharmed. In line with rules set forth by the EU or the UK, all passengers would get compensation for delays.
An official from SIA confirmed on June 11 that eleven individuals from the aircraft were still being treated in Bangkok hospitals. As per the Montreal Convention, airlines are held financially responsible in the event that a passenger suffers harm or dies while on route.
Unbelted passengers on board the plane were forcefully forced around the cabin due to an abrupt 177-foot decrease in altitude. According to the ministry, which cited an initial investigation from Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau, the plane encountered a sudden shift in Gravitational force as it flew over the southern region of Myanmar.
Specialists from Boeing, the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the Transportation Security Investigations Branch (TSIB) were on the investigating team.
