While often considered one of the world’s safest and most luxurious airlines, Singapore Airlines (SINGF) is currently dealing with a public relations crisis after a flight from London to Singapore hit turbulence so severe that it caused one death and 30 injuries.
On May 21, the Boeing 777-300ER (BA) plane was 10 hours into the flight and had been getting close to its destination when it fell into an air pocket and started shaking so severely that the pilot ended up declaring a medical emergency and asking to redirect the flight to Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand.
Related: A viral video captures just what pilots see during bad turbulence
“We can confirm that there were multiple injuries and one fatality on board the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft,” Singapore Airlines said in one of a number of updates that it posted on Facebook (META) . “As of 1950hrs Singapore time on 21 May 2024, 18 individuals had been hospitalised. Another 12 were being treated in hospitals. The remaining passengers and crew were being examined and given treatment, where necessary, at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok.”
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Singapore Airlines added that the plane had been carrying a total of 211 passengers and 18 crew which included 56 Australians, 47 Brits, 23 New Zealanders, 16 Malaysians, 4 Americans and smaller numbers of individuals from countries such as Germany, Canada and Ireland.
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Amid a pending investigation on what went wrong, the airline has not been elaborating on what caused the passenger’s death or the severity of the injuries but offered “deepest condolences” to the families of those affected. News outlets such as Reuters have reported that the deceased passenger was a 73-year-old British national who likely suffered a heart attack amid the intense shaking; the injuries of other passengers were non-life-threatening.
Related: Another flight had turbulence so severe it caused injuries
Airline apologizes for ‘traumatic experience,’ offers ‘deepest condolences’
“Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased,” the airline wrote further. “We deeply apologise for the traumatic experience that our passengers and crew members suffered on this flight. We are providing all necessary assistance during this difficult time.”
Boeing, which has also been dealing with a reputational crisis amid several high-profile breakdowns and deaths of whistleblowers who have attempted to draw attention to improper quality checks, also released a statement saying that it was in contact with investigators and Singapore Airlines amid the ongoing investigation into what went wrong aboard the flight.
“We are working with our colleagues and the local authorities in Thailand to provide the necessary assistance,” the airline said. “Singapore Airlines team is on its way to Bangkok to provide any additional assistance needed. SIA is working with the relevant authorities on the investigation into this incident.”
While there are no recorded incidents of turbulence causing a plane to crash, the biggest risk to passenger safety often comes from being thrown around the cabin during the shaking. In September 2023, severe turbulence aboard a a Delta (DAL) flight from Milan to Atlanta caused 11 travelers to be injured (several of them had to be carried out on stretchers by first responders amid landing in footage that flew through social media and cemented many people’s fear of flying.)
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