Some Air Canada passengers could get money from class-action settlement
Certain Canadians could be eligible to claim money from a class-action lawsuit against Air Canada.
Some Air Canada passengers who were involved in a crash landing incident over 10 years ago could soon claim part of a proposed $18-million settlement.
According to the law firm CFM Lawyers, the lawsuit against Air Canada, NAV Canada, and Halifax International Airport Authority was filed by Caroll-Byrne, along with other passengers, in April 2015.
Court documents state that on March 28, 2015, Air Canada Flight 624 took off from Toronto Pearson International Airport towards Halifax Stanfield International Airport. There were 133 passengers and five crew members onboard.
As Airbus 320 approached Halifax airport, at around 12:43 a.m., it “violently” struck the ground, 300 metres away from the runway, ricocheting off the ground on impact and hitting the ground for the second time before skidding along the runway for 335 metres before coming to a stop. The aircraft also hit above-ground power lines, cutting off power to most of the airport.
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The passengers and crew survived the incident and managed to escape, but some were injured during the landing. Some passengers’ baggage was either lost or destroyed. The lawsuit also claims that passengers were stranded on the tarmac for around 50 minutes in extreme weather conditions.
“Injuries as a result of the crash included broken bones, scrapes, scratches and many neck and back problems that remain ongoing,” reads the notice site. “A large number of passengers on Flight 624 also suffered severe psychological trauma as a result of the crash.”
The class action alleges that the crash was caused by negligence on the part of the airline, its pilots, the aircraft manufacturer, the airport, and others.
All parties have now reached a settlement, with the defendants agreeing to pay $18,075,000.
Of that amount, $15,075,000 will be paid by Air Canada, $2 million by NAV Canada, and $1 million by the Halifax International Airport Authority. The judge is expected to make a decision on the settlement amount at The Halifax Law Courts in Nova Scotia on June 22.
Visit the class action’s website for more information. Daily Hive has reached out to Air Canada for a comment.
The latest update to this class-action lawsuit comes after a fatal crash at LaGuardia Airport in New York on Sunday, when Air Canada Express 8646 collided with a fire truck, killing two pilots.