Delta to offer $30,000 payouts to passengers aboard flight that crash-landed in Toronto
Delta Air Lines will offer all passengers aboard a flight that crash-landed in Toronto on Monday $30,000 payouts, the company said on Wednesday.
According to Delta spokesperson Morgan Durant, “this gesture has no strings attached and does not affect rights.”
Investigators in Toronto are looking at strong wind and snow as being possible factors in the crash that involved a plane traveling from the Twin Cities, leaving at least 21 people hurt.
While all 80 people on board survived, one passenger out of the 21 who were reported injured by Delta Air Lines and first responders remains hospitalized as of Wednesday morning. That number is an improvement from Tuesday, when the airline announced 19 out of the 21 injured passengers were out of the hospital. Initially after Monday’s crash, officials said 18 people were hurt.
A team of cranes began the process of moving the aircraft from the tarmac of Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday, and it was fully removed later that night. Two runways had been closed while investigators examined the wreckage.
According to the airline’s website, the Delta Care Team is still in Toronto to support customers, employees and families of those involved in the flight, which was operated by Endeavor Air.
Delta also said Wednesday its teams will start having luggage and personal belongings be returned to their owners as soon as possible once they are all removed from the plane. Delta says that process could be “a matter of weeks” before all items are returned.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian spoke on national television Wednesday morning, saying he can’t comment on the active investigation, but called the flight crew experienced.
“Well, it’s horrifying when you look at it, look at the video,” said Bastian. “But the reality is safety is embedded in our system. Air travel in the United States it he safest form of transportation and travel there is period —and it’s because we train for events like this. And yes, it’s amazing the work that our team did, but that’s what we expect out of them, we are prepared for all sorts of circumstances.”
Video shows the plane bursts into flames and flips over once it touches down. A wing could also be seen snapping off after touching the ground.
Investigators say it will take some time for them to get answers on what happened, but since everyone survived, they’ll be able to talk to the pilots and anyone on board to find out exactly what went wrong. Investigators have found the black boxes from the plane to analyze them.