- By Nidhi Giri
- Fri, 04 Jul 2025 10:57 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Air India, in a recent statement has firmly rejected the allegations made by families of victims of June 12 plane crash regarding compensation procedures. The families of victims killed in the tragic Air India-171 plane crash in Ahmedabad had alleged that the company was pressuring them during the compensation process, and said that they were being threatened with “no compensation" if they failed to complete a questionnaire handed over by the airline. The families further alleged that they were forced into signing documents revealing their financial reliance on the deceased in an attempt to determine compensation amounts. However, Air India stated that a questionnaire given to some passengers was to verify familial relationships for proper distribution of interim payments.
"It has come to our notice that allegations have been made against the company claiming that families of the deceased in the AI-171 accident are being forced to sign papers disclosing their financial dependency on the deceased, in an attempt to slash compensation payments," Air India said in a statement, as per news agency ANI.
"Efforts are being made by the airlines to process the payment of the interim compensation (also referred to as advance compensation) as soon as possible, 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," it added.
"To facilitate payments, the airlines have 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, the airline believes that the process is entirely fair and necessary in order to process the payments to those most in need of assistance. Starting June 15, a Facilitation Centre was established by the airline at the Taj Skyline hotel in Ahmedabad, where the questionnaire relating to interim compensation was made available," it said.
"In addition, families were sent communications informing them that the questionnaire was also available over e-mail, if families did not wish to visit the Centre. Air India staff present at the Centre explained the elements of the questionnaire to family members. There is no requirement for family members to complete the questionnaire at the Centre, and several families have chosen to complete the questionnaire at their convenience and submit it over e-mail. Families who chose to complete the questionnaire at the Centre were provided with copies of their submissions at their request, " the airline further said.
Air India mentioned that the forms had options of both in person or email submissions. Interim payments have been done for 47 families and documents of 55 more are under processing, as per the airline.
Air India had announced an interim payment of Rs 25 lakh to each of the families of the deceased and survivors to meet the immediate financial needs. This payment was to be in addition to Rs 1 crore already announced by the Tata Sons in the wake of a tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad that killed all but one of 242 individuals onboard.
"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. This is in addition to the Rs 1 crore or approximately 85,000 GBP support already announced by Tata Sons," the airline added.