Singapore Airlines (SIA) said on Tuesday it has offered $10,000 compensation to passengers who suffered minor injuries on a flight that encountered severe turbulence last month, adding that it will engage with those who suffered more serious injuries have incurred to determine higher compensation amounts.
The incident occurred on London to Singapore flight SQ321, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER with 211 passengers and 18 crew on board, which encountered sudden turbulence over the Irrawaddy Basin on May 20, throwing people and objects throughout the cabin.
A 73-year-old British man lost his life, and several other passengers and crew suffered injuries to their skulls, brains and spines during the harrowing high-altitude event. The pilots decided to divert the plane to Bangkok, where the injured were taken to hospitals.
“For those who have suffered more serious injuries… we have invited them to discuss a compensation offer to meet each of their specific circumstances, where they feel well and are willing to do so,” the airline said.
“Passengers medically diagnosed as having suffered serious injuries, requiring long-term medical care and requesting financial assistance will be offered an advance of $25,000 to meet their immediate needs,” the report said.
“This will be part of the final compensation these passengers will receive,” the airline added.
Moreover, SIA has also said that it will refund the airfares of all passengers on the flight, regardless of whether they were injured or not. All passengers will also receive delay compensation in accordance with relevant European Union or United Kingdom regulations. said.
Eleven passengers from the flight were still receiving medical treatment at hospitals in Bangkok on Tuesday afternoon, according to an SIA spokesman.
Under the Montreal Convention, airlines are liable for damages resulting from injury or death to passengers while on an aircraft. The SIA spokesperson said: “The compensation amounts will be determined based on the severity of each passenger’s injuries, based on the information provided to date by the respective medical institutions.”
“We recognize that passengers with more serious injuries may require further support, tailored to their individual circumstances,” he added.
Prior to this announcement, SIA had already provided Sg$1,000 ($740) to each passenger departing Bangkok for their final destination to cover their immediate expenses.
The airline is also covering the medical costs of the injured passengers and has facilitated the travel of family members to Bangkok upon request.
Singapore Airlines reaffirmed its commitment to helping passengers, saying: “SIA remains committed to supporting the affected passengers who were on board SQ321.”
According to Singapore’s Ministry of Transport, the plane experienced a sudden altitude drop of 54 meters (177 feet) while flying over southern Myanmar. This abrupt change caused passengers not wearing seat belts to be violently thrown around the cabin.
Authorities said the turbulence likely occurred during meal service, when many passengers were not wearing their seat belts. Those on board recounted the horrific experience, which saw the plane shaking violently and unsecured objects flying into the air.
The ministry, citing a preliminary report from Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau, attributed the incident to a “rapid change” in the gravity or G-force experienced by the aircraft.
The investigation team consisted of specialists from the TSIB, the US National Transportation Safety Board, the US Federal Aviation Administration and the aircraft manufacturer Boeing.
