Families of Air India Crash Victims Accuse Airline of Coercive Compensation Tactics
Allegations Against Air India Following Tragic Crash
Weeks after the tragic Air India-171 crash in Ahmedabad that claimed 241 lives, families of the victims have accused the airline of pressuring them during the initial compensation process. They allege that the airline threatened to withhold compensation if they failed to complete a questionnaire provided by the company. Additionally, they claim they were coerced into signing documents revealing their financial dependency on deceased family members, purportedly to reduce compensation payouts.
Airline's Response to the Claims
Air India has dismissed these allegations as baseless and incorrect. This incident occurred shortly after the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers and crew members on a flight from Ahmedabad to London, tragically crashed, resulting in the loss of all but one individual on board. A UK-based law firm, Stewarts, has been officially retained by over 40 families of the deceased.
Details of the Allegations
An official stated that Stewarts is collaborating with a local Ahmedabad law firm, Nanavati and Nanavati, to assist Indian families in their claims against Air India, Boeing, and other potentially liable parties. Peter Neenan, a partner at Stewarts, criticized Air India for distributing a detailed questionnaire that allegedly includes legal jargon without any clarification.
Neenan remarked, "Our clients have shown us the questionnaire, which requests legally significant information using terms that families are not informed about. This information could later be used against them. We are shocked and appalled. They should be ashamed." Lawyers assert that families were pressured to fill out the forms under significant stress, with claims that non-compliance would result in no compensation. The forms inquire whether the deceased was financially dependent on the individual, a question that could influence the final compensation amount.
Air India's Denial of Wrongdoing
In response to the allegations, Air India issued a statement asserting that it sought basic information from compensation recipients to establish familial relationships and ensure payments were made to those entitled. The airline justified the inclusion of questions regarding financial dependency on the deceased, stating it was a fair and necessary inquiry to facilitate payments to those in greatest need. Air India categorically rejects these allegations, labeling them as unfounded and incorrect.