New Delhi, July 4 Air India has denied allegations from British law firm Stewarts Law that it forced families of the AI 171 crash victims to disclose financial dependency on the deceased to get compensation. Over 40 families represented by Stewarts Law have accused the airline of coercion and intimidation as they pursue claims related to the crash of the London-bound Boeing plane crash at Ahmedabad in which over 241 passengers and crew were killed.
"Air India categorically rejects these allegations and refutes them as both unsubstantiated and inaccurate," the Tata Group airline said in a statement.
The airline clarified that a questionnaire circulated among certain passengers was intended solely to verify familial relationships, ensuring the rightful distribution of interim payments.
“Understandably, there are some formal processes that must be followed, but we are giving families all the time and flexibility they need. We want to support however we can,” Air India said in a statement.
"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. Family members have been issued with a questionnaire to allow Air India to gather the information required to process compensation payments. This can be submitted in person at our Facilitation Centre at the Taj Skyline hotel in Ahmedabad, or by e-mail, and families have been given time and flexibility to complete these. Air India has certainly not made any unsolicited visits to families’ homes," Air India said.
Air India executives said that an interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh has been paid to 47 families, while interim compensation for another 55 families is in process and will be disbursed soon.
UK-based law firm Stewarts, which is representing over 40 bereaved families, has alleged that Air India has been “coercing” families into submitting legally significant financial disclosures before receiving advance compensation.
"This tactic has deeply distressed families already dealing with an immense loss," the firm said.
The allegations come weeks after the June 12 disaster, in which 241 people on board and many on the ground died when the plane crashed into a medical college hostel seconds after take-off from the Ahmedabad airport.
Peter Neenan, an aviation lawyer and partner at UK law firm Stewarts, has represented families in a number of large airline disasters around the world, including the high-profile MH17 and MH370 crashes.
He claimed the airline’s treatment of grief-stricken families could save it at least £100m by under-compensating families. “This is the real horror of what they’re potentially looking to do,” he said, calling for an investigation into the airline’s behaviour.
Neenan said the families were not given any warning, legal advice or a copy of the documents. Some families have told him that Air India officials went round to their homes and asked why they had not yet completed the forms, he added.
Neenan claimed families were falsely told they would not receive any payments unless they completed the forms, even though airlines are required under international law to make immediate advance payments to families entitled to compensation. Families are not required to do anything more than provide proof of identity and sign a receipt.
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