Air Transat is a well-known leisure airline company based in Montreal, Canada. Its entire fleet of Airbus aircraft flies passengers to destinations in South America, North Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, and the West and East Coasts of the US.
One of the notable incidents involving Air Transat was a fuel imbalance between the left and right engines. On August 24, 2001, 293 passengers were on a flight from Toronto to Lisbon, Portugal. Less than four hours after they were already in the air, Flight 236 encountered a right engine fuel leakage. The crew brushed it off at first, thinking that it may be just due to a sensor malfunction. The right engine burst into flames shortly after, and the left engine soon followed. The aircraft was flying dead at 30,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean.
The pilot decided to land the plane at the nearest airport, Lajes Airport, in the Portuguese Azores. The engineless plane glided for 20 minutes at a distance of almost 65 miles on the runway. There were no reported fatalities, but some passengers and crew had minor injuries. There were passengers who developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).The airline company initially offered a $12,500 deal to the passengers. Ninety of them accepted the offer. After a series of negotiations, the settlement was raised to $7.65 million.
Near-death experiences are life-altering experiences. Physical injuries may heal and become less visible, but for some individuals, the fear and trauma that developed after terrifying experiences can affect their lives. It is important to be backed by a good legal team to ensure that your rights are protected and you get the appropriate compensation for the damages. Sean M. Cleary’s legal team is highly experienced in dealing with aviation accident cases. If you ever need legal assistance with your claims, feel free to contact our team.