Singapore Airlines passengers will receive $10,000 in compensation for injuries sustained on a flight hit by extreme turbulence last month that killed a 73-year-old Briton.
Father-of-two Geoff Kitchen suffered a suspected heart attack on board flight SQ321, while several other passengers and crew from London suffered skull, brain and spinal injuries during the terrifying high-altitude ordeal.
The pilots diverted the Singapore-bound Boeing 777-300ER, with 211 passengers and 18 crew on board, to Bangkok, where the injured were taken to hospitals.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) said in a statement on Tuesday that it had sent emails offering $10,000 in compensation to passengers who suffered minor injuries during the incident – with the airline reportedly discussing higher payouts with those who suffered more serious injuries.
“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.
The interior of Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321 is pictured after an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, May 21, 2024
Geoff Kitchen, 73, suffered a suspected heart attack on board flight SQ321, while several other passengers and crew from London suffered skull, brain and spinal injuries during the terrifying high-altitude ordeal
Singapore Airlines passengers will receive $10,000 in compensation for injuries sustained during a flight hit by extreme turbulence last month
“Passengers who are medically diagnosed with serious injuries, require long-term medical care and apply for financial assistance will be offered an advance of $25,000 to meet their immediate needs.
“This will be part of the final compensation these passengers will receive.”
In addition, the airline said it would refund fares for all passengers who were on board the flight, including those who were not injured.
“All passengers will also receive delay compensation in accordance with relevant European Union or United Kingdom regulations,” the report said.
On Tuesday, 11 passengers from the flight were still being treated in hospitals in Bangkok, an SIA spokesman told AFP.
Under the Montreal Convention, airlines are liable for damages resulting from injury or death to passengers while on an aircraft.
“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,” the spokesperson said.
‘We recognize that passengers with more serious injuries may require further support tailored to their individual circumstances.’
SIA previously gave Sg$1,000 (£580) to each passenger leaving Bangkok for their final destination to cover their immediate expenses.
The company also covered the medical expenses of the injured passengers and arranged for their relatives to fly to Bangkok upon request.
“SIA remains committed to supporting the affected passengers who were on board SQ321,” the airline said.
Singapore’s Ministry of Transport has said a sudden drop in altitude of 54 meters caused unbelted passengers on the flight to be forcibly thrown into the cabin.
The plane experienced a “rapid change” in gravity, or G-force, as it flew over southern Myanmar, the ministry said, citing a preliminary report from Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau.
The investigation team consisted of experts from the TSIB, the US National Transportation Safety Board, the US Federal Aviation Administration and the aircraft manufacturer Boeing.
After his death, it was revealed that Mr Kitchen had helped raise money for local businesses with a local musical theater group during the pandemic, and that he and his wife spent the weekend with their grandchildren before heading off on their ‘trip of a lifetime’ .
The retired insurance worker and his wife, from Thonbury, near Bristol, were heading abroad for the six-week holiday of a lifetime to South East Asia, Indonesia and Australia when disaster struck around 11am after their flight from Heathrow.
A friend of the couple told the BBC that they “loved travelling” and were “really excited” about the trip, which would see them embark on a cruise in Indonesia before traveling to Australia.
Lizzie Atkins also described him as “the most wonderful human being you could ever know.”
Ms Atkins, a fellow member of Bristol-based musical theater group Thornbury, said: “He would do anything for you. He was just great.’
Singapore’s Ministry of Transport has said a sudden drop in altitude of 54 meters caused unbelted passengers on the flight to be forcibly thrown into the cabin
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she said: ‘He was just a remarkable man really.
‘He was stable and reliable, and you always knew you were in safe hands with Geoff.
“He had a very dry sense of humor and had a twinkle in his eye and every time you saw him you just knew he was going to make a funny joke.”
She added: ‘He was the most wonderful human being you could ever know, one of the best.’