Air India on Saturday announced an additional Rs 25 lakh in compensation for the families of those who perished in the June 12 plane crash in Ahmedabad, as well as for the sole survivor.
This amount is supplementary to the Rs 1 crore support already declared by Tata Sons.
"As part of our continued efforts, Air India will be providing an interim payment of Rs 25 lakh or approximately 21,000 GBP each to the families of the deceased and to the survivor, to help address immediate financial needs." Air India said in a statement on X.
Earlier on the day of the tragedy, the airline had declared an ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore per deceased passenger, in addition to committing to cover the medical expenses of the injured and contributing to the reconstruction of the B J Medical College hostel.
With an additional Rs 25 lakh added to the initial payout, the total compensation now stands at Rs 1.25 crore per victim — still short of the Montreal Convention’s stipulated amount — which mandates a minimum compensation of Rs 1.4 crore per life lost in an air crash irrespective of fault.
Air India CEO Wilson released a fresh message, highlighting the airline's comprehensive support system.
He noted that over 200 trained caregivers have been deployed, with each aggrieved family receiving dedicated assistance, along with access to counselling and other vital services.
"We will continue to help and support the families however we can," Wilson added.
Air India is actively engaged in completing precautionary safety checks on its Boeing 787 aircraft, as mandated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
"We will complete all checks within the timelines prescribed by the regulator," Wilson confirmed. He also stated that the aircraft's data recorder has been recovered and will be a crucial component of the official investigation, with Air India fully cooperating.
Earlier in the day, the aviation company reported that one-time safety checks have been concluded on nine of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
The airline is on schedule to complete these checks on the remaining 24 aircraft of this type, adhering to the DGCA's directive issued on Friday following the fatal crash.
The DGCA's order for enhanced safety checks of the Boeing 787 fleet was a direct response to Thursday's tragic incident.
Air India acknowledged that "some of these checks could lead to higher turnaround time and potential delays on certain long-haul routes especially those to airports with operating curfews. Customers will be duly notified about any delays."
The airline reiterated its ongoing process of executing the DGCA-directed one-time safety checks.
"These checks are being carried out on the Boeing 787 fleet as they return to India, before being cleared for their next operation," the airline stated.
