Singapore Airlines has offered to pay thousands of dollars to each of the hundreds of passengers onboard Flight SQ321 that encountered severe turbulence last month, killing one and injuring dozens of others.
In a statement on its social media accounts, the airline said it will compensate those seriously injured with an initial US$25,000 (around NZ$40,850) advance payment as it discusses a longer-term assistance plan with each of them.
Those with minor injuries will be offered US$10,000 (around NZ$16,350) in compensation each, the airline said. On top of those payments, every passenger on the flight will have their airfare refunded, regardless of whether they were injured or not.
Singapore Airlines apologised again for the incident in the new statement.
The Boeing 777-312ER flight on May 21 from London to Singapore encountered severe turbulence while flying over Myanmar. Of the passengers, 23 were New Zealanders - at least two of whom were injured.
"Singapore Airlines (SIA) deeply apologises to all passengers for the traumatic experience on board flight SQ321 on 20 May 2024. We are committed to providing our full support and assistance during this time," the statement reads.
"SIA can confirm that we have sent out the offers of compensation to the passengers on 10 June 2024. For passengers who sustained minor injuries from the incident, we have offered US$10,000 in compensation.
"For those who sustained more serious injuries from the incident, 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. 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 to the above, SIA will provide a full refund of the air fare to all passengers travelling on SQ321 on May 20, 2024, including those who did not suffer any injuries. All passengers will also receive delay compensation in accordance with the relevant European Union or United Kingdom regulations," the airline said.
"All affected passengers should have received their offers of compensation via email, along with information on how they may proceed with their claims. For any inquiries or further assistance, passengers may contact us using the provided details, and we will address these promptly."
The fatal SQ321 incident comes as part of a general increase in extreme turbulence, which is said to be a symptom of climate change.
Some recent studies show increases about a 15 percent increase over the last 40 years in instances of clear-air turbulence.
