Air India plane crash: Air India has dismissed allegations that it coerced families of Flight 171 crash victims into signing legal forms for compensation, calling the claims “unsubstantiated and inaccurate.” The airline maintained that its priority is the welfare of affected families and said the forms were meant to streamline rightful compensation, not pressure relatives.
“It has come to our notice that allegations have been made against Air India, claiming that families of the deceased in the AI171 accident are being forced to sign papers disclosing their financial dependency to the deceased, in an attempt to slash compensation payments. Air India categorically rejects these allegations and refutes them as both unsubstantiated and inaccurate. Air India has been making considerable efforts to process payment of interim compensation (also referred to as advance compensation) as soon as possible, in order to meet the immediate financial needs of affected family members, with the first payments having been made within days of the accident. However, Air India cannot process these payments in an information vacuum. In order to facilitate payments, Air India has sought basic information to establish family relationships to ensure that the advance payments are received by those entitled to them. Whilst the questionnaire does ask family members to indicate with a “yes” or “no” as to whether they are “financially dependent” on the deceased, Air India believes this is an entirely fair and necessary question in order for us to process payments to those most in need of assistance,” reads the Air India statement.
Meanwhile, Air India is under growing scrutiny for its treatment of families who lost loved ones in the tragic crash of Flight 171 in Ahmedabad on June 12, which claimed 261 lives. Aviation lawyer Peter Neenan has called the airline’s approach “ethically outrageous,” accusing it of exploiting grieving families to minimise future compensation payouts, reports Guardian.
The families of the victims have accused Air India of exerting undue pressure during the initial compensation process, alleging they were warned they would receive “no compensation” unless they completed a questionnaire issued by the airline.
What the lawyer alleged?
Neenan, a partner at UK law firm Stewarts and a veteran of major aviation disaster litigation, including MH17 and MH370, says Air India is pressuring families into filling out legally complex forms under emotionally and physically unbearable conditions. These forms, according to him, are being misrepresented as mandatory for receiving initial compensation despite international law requiring no such stipulation.
“Families were put in crowded, overheated rooms and told to complete lengthy questionnaires without legal advice or proper explanation,” Neenan said. “They were made to believe they wouldn’t receive compensation without these forms. That’s false, and it’s unethical.”
Compensation forms
The controversial questionnaire, seen by Neenan and his legal team, requests detailed information about the deceased’s dependents and financial circumstances. Neenan argues the form is legally nuanced and may be used to undercut future claims. “These are questions with serious legal implications,” he warned. “Without representation, families could unknowingly limit the compensation they’re legally entitled to potentially costing them millions.”
He also alleged that some families were contacted at home by Air India representatives, urging them to submit the forms quickly, a claim the airline strongly denies.
What Air India said?
Air India refuted the allegations, calling them “unsubstantiated and inaccurate.” In a statement, the airline emphasised that the welfare of affected families is its top priority.
“We are doing everything we can to ensure compensation is processed quickly and smoothly,” a spokesperson said. “The questionnaire is intended to help determine rightful beneficiaries. It was made as simple as possible, and liaison officers have been assigned to assist families with logistics, accommodation, and funeral arrangements.”
The airline claimed that interim compensation payments were initiated within days of the crash and denied making any unsolicited visits to bereaved families’ homes.
Despite the airline’s defence, Neenan insists the approach is deeply flawed and legally risky. “We’re advising all our clients not to fill out the form without seeking legal counsel,” he said. “Air India should be ashamed. These families are at their most vulnerable, and instead of compassion, they’re being handed paperwork that could be used against them later.”
