Singapore Airlines turbulence victims offered payouts

João da Silva - Business reporter
·2-min read
Interior of Singapore Airlines flight SQ32 after an emergency landing.
Singapore Airlines has offered payouts to people injured in the turbulence incident [Reuters]

Singapore Airlines has offered to pay compensation to those who were injured on a London to Singapore flight that encountered severe turbulence.

The airline said it will pay $10,000 (£7,800) to those who sustained minor injuries, in a Facebook post.

For passengers with more serious injuries, the airline is providing "an advance payment of $25,000 to address their immediate needs" and further discussions to meet "their specific circumstances".

A 73-year-old British passenger died and dozens more were injured when flight SQ 321 encountered turbulence over Myanmar and was diverted to Thailand in May.

Singapore Airlines has not yet responded to a BBC News request for further information on how many people will be entitled to the payments.

More than a hundred people who had been on SQ 321 were treated in Bangkok hospital after the incident.

Early investigations showed that the plane accelerated rapidly up and down, and dropped around 178ft (54m) over 4.6 seconds.

Passengers described how crew and those not wearing seatbelts were sent flying and slammed into the cabin ceiling.

A hospital in Bangkok where passengers are being treated said there were spinal cord, head and muscle injuries.

There were 211 passengers - including many Britons, Australians and Singaporeans - and 18 crew on board the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft at the time of the incident.

The company said it would offer a full fare refund to all passengers on the flight, including those who did not suffer any injuries.

On top of this, Singapore Airlines said passengers will received delay compensation in accordance with European Union or United Kingdom regulations.

The airline also offered S$1,000 ($739; £580) to all passengers to cover immediate expenses and it arranged for loved ones to fly to the Thai capital where requested.

Under international regulations, airlines must offer compensation when passengers are injured or die while on a plane.

The incident brought attention to seatbelt practices, as airlines usually allow passengers to undo their belts during normal cruise conditions.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest stories

  • Malaysia likely to get Russian stealth fighters under 14th Malaysia Plan

    Sources say the package being offered by the Russians could include new-generation precision, and standoff weapons like the RVV-SDM, the RVV-MD, and the Kh-35 Long Range, Air-to-Surface Missile (against sea, and ground targets). The post Malaysia likely to get Russian stealth fighters under 14th Malaysia Plan appeared first on Twentytwo13.

  • ‘Why I ditched my Tesla for a 12-year-old petrol car’

    Owners of electric cars are ditching battery power and returning to petrol as demand for greener vehicles drops across Britain.

  • China's BYD launches third EV model in Japan

    TOKYO (Reuters) -China's BYD launched its third electric vehicle in Japan, it said on Tuesday, a sedan that will be its most expensive model so far in a market where consumers have long favoured domestic brands. The Shenzhen-based automaker said it had started taking orders for its flagship Seal EV in Japan from Tuesday, setting the suggested retail pricing for the rear-wheel-drive version of the vehicle in the country at 5.28 million yen ($33,111.75). The expansion of BYD, which stands for Build Your Dreams, in Japan could become a worry for domestic automakers, which are struggling in China against BYD and other Chinese EV brands.

  • Korea Air flight drops almost 27,000ft in 15 minutes injuring 17 people

    Passengers on the Korean Air flight KE189 arrived safely in Taiwan on Sunday

  • Robot delivery car foiled by double speed bumps in China

    This is the hilarious moment an automated robot delivery truck needed help getting over double speed bumps on a road in Zhejiang, China on May 24.

  • We finally know how many Cybertrucks Tesla has sold so far

    Tesla announced another recall for its Cybertruck, its fourth since its release in late last year, but within the recall notice is an interesting nugget on how many Cybertrucks are actually out in the wild.

  • Criminal charges recommended against Boeing

    The US Department of Justice has until 7 July to make a final decision on whether to prosecute the firm.

  • I’m a Car Expert: Here are 3 Reasons I’d Never Buy a Used Car From a Dealership

    Shopping for a used car is an important financial decision: If you do your research and find one that will last for a while, you can budget for regular maintenance with relative confidence that you'll...

  • Don’t Waste Your Money on These 9 Unreliable Car Products

    Many people spend a large amount of time driving, and while the main function of a vehicle is to facilitate transporting people from place to place, this public activity is one where consumers can...

  • London travel news LIVE: Rush-hour commuters face severe delays on Tube and Overground

    Several Tube lines have been hit with severe delays as commuters head home on Monday, as well as the London Overground. The Central, District and Metropolitan lines are severely delayed in parts while the Elizabeth, Hammersmith & City and Jubilee lines have minor delays. Trains running between Charing Cross and London Bridge have resumed normal service after a protest on a key railway bridge came to an end.

  • Toyota recalls 145,000 Toyota, Lexus SUVs due to an airbag problem: See affected models

    Toyota is recalling about 145,000 vehicles due to an airbag problem, the automaker said last week. Here's which models are affected.

  • 'It's Really Good to Be Alive': Woman Documents Journey on Air Korea Flight That Dipped 7,600 Meters

    A woman who was on the Air Korea flight from South Korea to Taiwan that dipped 7,600 metres documented her journey on Saturday, June 22, saying it was “really good to be alive” after the terrifying experience.Footage filmed by Chen Yi Ling shows the different stages of the journey, with people using oxygen masks on the flight.The footage also shows passengers being directed to their accommodation after an emergency landing back at Incheon International Airport, from where the flight originally departed. The passengers finally arrived in Taiwan the next day.The plane dropped some 7,600 meters (25,000 feet) in five minutes, according to data from FlightRadar24, as reported by the South China Morning Post.According to Yonhap News Agency, the drop was due to a problem with the aircraft’s pressurization system.“More terrifying than the centrifugal force of a roller coaster. It’s really good to be alive,” Yi Ling wrote on Instagram, thanking the crew of the flight and other passengers.Some passengers who arrived in Taiwan told the Taipei Times that they were frightened, and would consider not flying for a while. Credit: Chen Yi Ling via Storyful

  • Nissan to start producing EVs for Dongfeng Motor by year-end, Nikkei reports

    TOKYO (Reuters) -Nissan Motor will produce electric vehicles for its Chinese joint-venture partner Dongfeng Motor at its Wuhan factory by year-end, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Tuesday, a sign of pressure on the automaker's China business. Nissan and Dongfeng did not immediately respond to comment requests. Japan's third-biggest automaker has already been making the Ariya EV and the X-Trail SUV through its joint venture with Dongfeng at the plant, which has an annual production capacity of 260,000 vehicles, Nikkei said.

  • Vauxhall owner threatens to close UK car factories

    The car giant behind Vauxhall has threatened to mothball its UK factories amid a row over net zero targets for electric vehicle (EV) sales.

  • Ask the Expert: Who can sell my classic Mercedes?

    I plan to sell my Mercedes SL320, which I purchased brand-new on March 11 1997. It has now done 151,000 miles, and has a full service history from a Mercedes-approved garage. What’s the best way to proceed? I seem to remember you mentioning a company that can collect and sell a classic car on your behalf. Being the ripe old age of 90, this is an option I’d like to explore; what I can do myself is somewhat limited.

  • ‘We were flying’: Sydney metro line under harbour due to open in August with speeds of 100km/h

    Driverless trains will be ‘very, very quick’ and carry up to 40,000 commuters an hour. Trips from North Sydney to the CBD will take just three minutes, premier says

  • Vauxhall owner says car plants could shut unless ‘stupid’ UK rules change

    Stellantis to decide in ‘less than a year’ whether to keep Ellesmere Port and Luton production lines open amid ‘soft’ EV demand

  • Why Labour’s electric car crusade risks crushing Britain’s auto industry

    Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, Sue Gray, is said to keep a “s--- list” of potential crises that a Labour government may face if the party wins power next week.

  • Woman accused of murdering teenager Amber Haigh watched her have sex with husband, court hears

    Prosecution claims Anne Geeves and husband Robert, who have both pleaded not guilty, used Haigh as a ‘surrogate mother’ and then killed her

  • Zelensky sacks commander ‘who killed more Ukrainians than any Russian general’

    Volodymyr Zelensky has sacked a top commander accused of “killing more Ukrainians than any Russian general”.