Airline offers only $5,000 compensation for each lost soul

reply to post by schuyler


Exactly and to top what you said off, the airline has said it isn't to be taken as compensation at all, but rather a gesture to help out people in the immediate term and will not be taken off any final compensation or as a tacit agreement to take any legal action

Glassbender777
I wouldnt touch that money, that is just a way for them to buy you out. Never let them do that, Your right to file against the airways is worth more than $5000. No money is worth you signing your rights or relatives rights away.

A shining example here of someone commenting on something they clearly have no taken 5 minutes to look into...

On Tuesday, the families presented Malaysia Airlines with a list of demands for clarification about the support and assistance it is offering them, including a $5,000 (£3,000) "consolation" fee to cover immediate expenses.

After the meeting, relatives told me that they had been given a guarantee that there were no strings attached to this offer, and that it would not be deducted from any final compensation. And they were told that they would be given regular updates, three times a day.

BBC

C'mon people, deny ignorance, don't spread it.

JIMC5499
Google the "Warsaw Convention". It's policies are still in effect.
www.jus.uio.no...

Thanks for the link. A lot of that makes sense, but I'm surprised by article 20.2:

Article 20

1. The carrier is not liable if he proves that he and his agents have taken all necessary measures to avoid the damage or that it was impossible for him or them to take such measures.

2. In the carriage of goods and luggage the carrier is not liable if he proves that the damage was occasioned by negligent pilotage or negligence in the handling of the aircraft or in navigation and that, in all other respects, he and his agents have taken all necessary measures to avoid the damage.

Since the pilot normally works for the carrier and the carriers have training programs for their pilots, I'm a bit surprised to see that "the carrier is not liable if he proves that the damage was occasioned by negligent pilotage". It almost reads as if the pilot is not assumed to be an employee of the airline.

I know I'm a bit late to the party here, but someone just posted a duplicate thread on this topic which is closed and redirected here.

reply to post by gardener


I believe the 5000 is for loss of wages , travel expenses etc, not for compensation of their loved ones. It's not a settlement.
They get 5000 for each family member that was on board MH370
The title or headline is misleading.

It doesn't make it clear on the article you linked.

Malaysia Airlines has already provided initial financial assistance of USD 5,000 per passenger to the next of kin. We recognize that financial support is not the only consideration. But the prolonged search is naturally placing financial strain on the relatives. We are therefore preparing to offer additional payments as the search continues.

Malaysia Airlines

Would anyone know the financial standing of Malaysian Airways? Could they be in a financial dire straits, as recently there have been mechanical problems with their aircraft. I know that maintenance and servicing are usually the first areas to be skimped when a company is in a tight financial situation.

Could this have been unfortunate though well timed fate, as the insurance will probably be in the range of hundreds of millions for the aircraft loss. This may help in keeping Malaysian Air in the air just a bit longer.

What a paltry amount of compensation, I would not fly Malaysian, Air Asia as who knows what condition the aircraft are in.

reply to post by robsmith


I don't know the details but yes they are going broke.

reply to post by Arbitrageur


Probably why they're trying to frame the pilot.

reply to post by violet


Its a worry, if that is the case. I hope we don't see this become more common. I guess these things have happened in the past like the firestone tyres fitted to Ford explorers, the DC-10 cargo door issue. Cheaper to compensate than mitigate.

violet
reply to post by Arbitrageur

 

Probably why they're trying to frame the pilot.

Yeah I wondered about why they were trying so hard to blame the pilot...this puts the effort in a new light.

It might be it is just an immediate compensation for the first need families may require. Missing a member of a family can determinate an immediate need of cash. It is also a budget needed considering some will have to travel to the crash scene very soon.

Usually flight accidents are covered by insurances, but first they need to confirme what caused the accident to identify responsabilities.

reply to post by Arbitrageur


I guess blaming the pilot would get them off the hook on a big payout
Isn't right though, because it's like saying we don't care about our pilots.

I haven't heard anything being released about the mechanical background of this plane. Were there any issues not dealt with?

Well, to be fair, with 7 billion of us around, an individual really isn't worth a lot these days.

Blue Shift
Well, to be fair, with 7 billion of us around, an individual really isn't worth a lot these days.

Speak for yourself

violet
reply to post by Arbitrageur

 

I guess blaming the pilot would get them off the hook on a big payout
Isn't right though, because it's like saying we don't care about our pilots.

I haven't heard anything being released about the mechanical background of this plane. Were there any issues not dealt with?

Boeing said it would be inappropriate for them to comment about whether this issue was dealt with or not:

Malaysia Airlines MH370: Cairo 777 cockpit fire could yield clues to missing plane

The Federal Aviation Authority in Washington and the European Aviation Safety Agency issued directives to airlines under their control.

It required the oxygen hoses on the bulk of the 777 fleet to be replaced with an alternative which did not conduct electricity.

The FAA estimated carrying out the work would cost $2,596 (£1,573) per aircraft.

It is unclear whether similar instructions were issued by regulators in Malaysia.

Boeing said it would be inappropriate to discuss what modifications were made to the global 777 fleet or what advice it sent to airlines in the aftermath of the Cairo fire.

There is growing belief that an on-board fire could explain what happened to the plane, rather than an act of terrorism.

“We believe that in due course, the crew will be regarded as heroes rather than villains, and we sincerely hope the Black Boxes will contain the data to back that up, and to prevent further needless loss of life,” Mr Healy-Pratt added.

Personally I'm trying to keep an open mind with no bias for or against the pilot, so I'm not saying it couldn't have been the pilot...it's possible.

The media seems to have gone beyond citing pilots as just a possible explanation to the most likely, which is a premature conclusion without the black boxes.

reply to post by gardener


I don't know what funeral or memorial service costs in that part of the world but here in the U.K $5000 or £3025 would be lucky to cover said service never mind actually compensating the victims.

$5000 is a joke, an not a funny one at that!

Probably sent said offer by text!