- The airline also provides an advance payment of $25,000 for passengers with more serious injuries.
- Bangkok Hospital treated over a hundred passengers after the incident.
- The airline will offer a full fare refund to all passengers, including those who did not suffer any injuries.
In a Facebook post, Singapore Airlines announced that it would offer compensation of $10,000 (£7,800) to passengers who sustained minor injuries during severe turbulence encountered on a London to Singapore flight.
The airline is providing “an advance payment of $25,000 to address immediate needs” for passengers with more serious injuries and engaging in further discussions to address “their specific circumstances.” During turbulence encountered over Myanmar in May, flight SQ 321 was diverted to Thailand, resulting in the death of a 73-year-old British passenger and injuries to dozens of others.
Singapore Airlines has not yet responded to a BBC News request for further information on how many people will be entitled to the payments. Bangkok Hospital treated more than a hundred people who had been on SQ 321 after the incident.
Early investigations revealed that the plane accelerated rapidly up and down, dropping around 178ft (54m) over 4.6 seconds. Passengers described how the crew and individuals not wearing seatbelts were sent flying and slammed into the cabin ceiling.
A hospital in Bangkok, treating passengers, reported spinal cord, head, and muscle injuries. At the time of the incident, there were 211 passengers – including many Britons, Australians, and Singaporeans – and 18 crew on board the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
The company announced that it would offer a full fare refund to all passengers on the flight, including those who did not suffer any injuries. Additionally, Singapore Airlines stated that passengers would receive delay compensation following European Union or United Kingdom regulations.
The airline also provided S$1,000 ($739; £580) to all passengers to cover immediate expenses and arranged for loved ones to fly to the Thai capital where requested. Under international regulations, airlines must offer compensation when passengers sustain injuries or die while on a plane. The incident drew attention to seatbelt practices, as airlines typically allow passengers to undo their belts during normal cruise conditions.
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