BA crash-jet pasengers consider legal action

Passengers on board a British Airways jet that crash-landed at Heathrow are considering legal action against the airline, a lawyer said today.

Salore, a personal injury lawyer, said she had been approached by passengers seeking advice about their legal options.

She said: “We have been asked to advise a couple of people on what their legal remedies might be.

“They are considering their options. We are not acting for them yet.”

A BA spokesman said the airline was in discussion with passengers on a “variety of issues”.

The airline had also offered a free 'fear-of-flying' course to passengers who felt they needed one, he added.

He said: “We are in confidential one-to-one discussions with our customers about a variety of issues.”

He added: “We have offered a 'fear-of-flying' course to those passengers who want to take one. We are in touch with all passengers who were on BA 38.”

The Boeing 777, carrying 136 passengers and 16 crew, lost power in mid-air as it approached the west London airport on January 17.

The aircraft, which had flown in from Beijing, was extensively damaged but the passengers were safely evacuated and only 18 needed treatment for minor injuries.

Various theories about what caused the jet to lose power have been put forward, including the possibility of fuel contamination.

The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) has indicated its inquiry into the incident may be focusing on the aircraft’s fuel supply system.

Ms Moore, who is a partner at specialist personal injury law firm Leigh Day & Co, said passengers who had been traumatised by the incident could claim up to £85,000 on a “no-fault basis”.

She said: “Trauma is another injury. It’s compensatable like any other injury, it’s just harder to identify.”

She congratulated BA for its efforts to help passengers, including the free fear of flying flights.

“Anything they can do now to stop the problem arising is better than a problem becoming entrenched,” she said.