News & Current Events

Air India Offers Payout To Victims’ Families — Lawyer Responds To Compensation Plan

Published on June 13, 2025

Air India’s decision to provide prompt compensation to the bereaved families of those who perished in a recent tragedy has drawn criticism from an attorney.

Yesterday, June 12, just after taking off from an airfield in Ahmedabad, in western India, a plane carrying more than 200 passengers headed for the UK crashed.

Since then, it has been established that only one of the 242 passengers on the Air India flight survived the terrible experience.

Air India has stated that it will provide prompt compensation to the relatives of the victims in light of the tragic tragedy.

In a statement from the Tata Group, which owns Air India, chairman of the airline Natarajan Chandrasekaran said, “We are deeply anguished by the tragic event involving Air India Flight 171.”

“No words can adequately express the grief we feel at this moment. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones, and with those who have been injured.”

He continued: “Tata Group will provide ₹1 crore [$116,000] to the families of each person who has lost their life in this tragedy. We will also cover the medical expenses of those injured and ensure that they receive all necessary care and support. Additionally, we will provide support in the building up of the B J Medical’s hostel.”

While some have expressed astonishment at Air India’s prompt response to the disaster, legal expert Sarah Stewart said it wasn’t out of the ordinary.

Sarah, from Stewarts Law’s aviation team, told UNILAD: “Early offers of compensation are not unusual and it’s something we’ve seen before, for example in the Singapore Airlines turbulence case. It’s too early for grieving families to be considering offers of compensation, recent reports show a survivor.”

“When the time is right, they will want to seek specialist legal advice before accepting any offer of compensation as it may limit their rights down the line. It’s better to wait for investigations to progress so that we understand fully what happened on that flight.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is among the foreign leaders who have voiced their opinions regarding yesterday’s tragedy.

The flight was bound for London’s Heathrow Airport with 53 British passengers, 169 Indian passengers, seven Portuguese passengers, and one Canadian passenger.

“The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating,” stated Starmer.

“I am being kept updated as the situation develops, and my thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this deeply distressing time.”

Meanwhile, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on Twitter: “Visited the crash site in Ahmedabad today. The scene of devastation is saddening. Met officials and teams working tirelessly in the aftermath. Our thoughts remain with those who lost their loved ones in this unimaginable tragedy.”

“We are all devastated by the air tragedy in Ahmedabad. The loss of so many lives in such a sudden and heartbreaking manner is beyond words. Condolences to all the bereaved families. We understand their pain and also know that the void left behind will be felt for years to come. Om Shanti.”

The lone survivor of the crash was Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national, aged 40.