British Airways passengers sue Boeing following Heathrow crash

A group of passengers on a British Airways Boeing 777 that crash landed at London Heathrow Airport almost two years ago are to sue the aircraft manufacturer for compensation which could top £1m each.

Those who were covered by travel insurance at the time of the crash should check their policies to see if they can reclaim the legal costs of fighting the case, which is likely to be heard in the United States and could take up to two years to come to court.

Some of the 136 passengers who were on the flight from Beijing when it hit the ground at high speed claim they suffered physical injuries and psychological trauma.

No-one died in the incident, which happened in January 2008, but 18 people were taken to hospital, mainly with broken bones and whiplash injuries. Some claim to have developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and some say they have not been able to fly since the crash, which has affected their careers.

British Airways (www.ba.com) has not been blamed for the incident, indeed the crew piloting the aircraft have been praised for averting a disaster, which means that, under the Montreal Convention, the maximum passengers could have claimed from BA was £85,000.

However, those involved in the incident have opted to sue Boeing instead, claiming that an inherent fault in the design of the 777 caused the crash. Reports by air accident investigators suggest ice blocked fuel from getting to the engines, causing them to cut out.

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