Australia

Singapore Airlines: Adelaide couple injured on turbulent flight slam company’s compensation offer

The husband of an Australian woman who was paralyzed when turbulence hit a Singapore Airlines flight has rejected a compensation offer he heard about on social media.

Singapore Airlines is offering $US25,000 ($37,567) to passengers seriously injured and $US10,000 ($15,150) to passengers with minor injuries when the flight was hit by heavy turbulence on May 21.

The flight plunged almost 2,000 meters within minutes as it flew over Myanmar, killing one man and injuring 109 passengers and crew.

Adelaide dance teacher Kerry Jordan, who was traveling with her husband Keith Davis, broke her spine when she was violently thrown through the hut.

She has yet to regain feeling from the waist down, still cannot move her hands or fingers and may never walk again.

The airline claimed that the compensation offer was made to the affected passengers on Monday.

But Davis claimed he didn’t know about the comp offer until two days later when friends sent the link on Facebook, which he described as “a huge shock.”

The happy couple (pictured) were both injured on flight SQ321, with Kerry Jordan (right) suffering a broken spine after being thrown through the cabin after the flight encountered severe turbulence

The happy couple (pictured) were both injured on flight SQ321, with Kerry Jordan (right) suffering a broken spine after being thrown through the cabin after the flight encountered severe turbulence

Kerry Jordan (pictured with her husband Keith Davis) may never walk again and still cannot move her fingers and hands

Kerry Jordan (pictured with her husband Keith Davis) may never walk again and still cannot move her fingers and hands

The husband of the mother-of-one said the company’s compensation offer was “beyond insulting” and has added to the couple’s suffering.

“It was quite anguish for Kerry, who faces enormous challenges,” Davis told Seven News

“I expect they will provide sufficient compensation for Kerry’s entire life.”

‘It’s a completely life-changing condition that she has to deal with.

“We are only hoping for a small gain, her mobility is limited to her arms and her neck and shoulders.”

Mr Davis added that Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong visited his wife in hospital and offered to visit her again before Mrs Jordan declined.

He branded the airline’s efforts to apologize to customers as “an absolute joke.”

He also gave an update on his wife, who was in ‘stable’ condition.

“That said, I couldn’t have said that same statement two days ago. So it’s a daily situation,” he said.

The Singapore Airlines flight, which departed from London's Heathrow Airport and was due to fly to Singapore, had 229 people on board, including 18 crew members.  The incident left one person dead and 109 injured

The Singapore Airlines flight, which departed from London’s Heathrow Airport and was due to fly to Singapore, had 229 people on board, including 18 crew members. The incident left one person dead and 109 injured

Kerry Jordan has yet to regain feeling from the waist down, still cannot move her hands or fingers and may never walk again

Kerry Jordan has yet to regain feeling from the waist down, still cannot move her hands or fingers and may never walk again

The couple’s lawyer, former Senator Nick Xenophon, is part of a legal team pushing for a better deal for injured passengers.

He believes the airline should offer seriously injured passengers at least $175,000.

“The Montreal Convention, which governs these incidents in the air, is very clear about what the limits are and what the damages should be,” Mr. Xenophon said.

Singapore Airlines said in their rack The $25,000 payment is intended to cover “immediate needs” and has invited passengers with serious injuries to “discuss an offer of compensation to meet each of their specific circumstances” when they are well enough to do so.

“(The $25,000) will be part of the final compensation these passengers will receive,” the report said.

Keith Davis (pictured) only learned about the airline's compensation offer on Wednesday when friends sent him the Facebook message

Keith Davis (pictured) only learned about the airline’s compensation offer on Wednesday when friends sent him the Facebook message

The company said all passengers had their medical costs covered, they were given $1,000 to cover their direct costs and flight costs were reimbursed for everyone on the flight, even if they were not injured.

“All affected passengers should have received their compensation offer via email, along with information on how to proceed with their claims,” ​​the airline said.

Singapore Airlines also stated that it “remains committed to supporting the affected passengers who were on board SQ321.”

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