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Passengers on Delta Air Lines (DAL-5.97%) flight 4819, which flipped onto its roof while landing Monday at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, will receive $30,000 “no strings” payments, NBC News reports.
The plane attempted to land in wind-driven snow on Monday. Investigators are still trying to determine whether weather was a factor in flipping the plane.
All 80 people on board the doomed flight survived, but 21 passengers had to be hospitalized, according to local media reports.
The payments, according to the airline and legal experts, will not prevent passengers from filing lawsuits.
Peter Carlson, a passenger traveling to Toronto for a paramedics conference, told CBC News the landing was “very forceful.”
“All the sudden everything just kind of went sideways and then next thing I know it’s kind of a blink and I’m upside down still strapped in,” he said.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian posted a statement on X Tuesday saying that caring for their customers and crew who were on the crash is paramount.
“Our most pressing priority remains taking care of all customers and Endeavor (EDR-0.36%) crew members who were involved,” Bastian posted. “We’ll do everything we can to support them and their families in the days ahead, and I know the hearts, thoughts and prayers of the entire Delta community are with them. We are grateful for all the first responders and medical teams who have been caring for them.”
Bastian said that Delta’s incident response team deployed to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) Monday evening, including specially trained Delta Care Team representatives who provide support for customers, employees and their loved ones.
It is unclear how or when passengers will claim the $30,000 payments.
Alan Tan, an aviation law professor at the National University of Singapore, told Business Insider that the payment was “appropriate as an advance gesture, particularly for passengers who have minimal or no injuries.”