Passengers on crashed Toronto plane offered US$30,000 each

Delta Air Lines is offering US$30,000 (£23,792) to each person aboard a plane that crash-landed in Toronto on Monday, with all passengers surviving the ordeal.

The plane, which had traveled from Minneapolis, skidded along the runway in flames before flipping over and coming to a stop upside down as it landed in Canada. Passengers expressed their amazement at walking away without injuries.

The cause of the incident is still under investigation.

There were 76 passengers and four crew members on board the flight. A Delta spokesperson confirmed that the compensation offer had no conditions attached and would not impact customers' rights.

The cause of the plane crash in Toronto remains under investigation, but experts have suggested that factors such as harsh winter weather and a rapid descent may have played a role. Despite the terrifying incident, all passengers survived.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene as the plane, which had skidded along the runway and flipped over, left passengers hanging upside down in their seats. A passenger recalled hearing a “forceful event” followed by the sounds of “concrete and metal” during impact.

Following the crash-landing, Toronto law firm Rochon Genova confirmed that it had been retained by certain passengers and their families. Lawyer Vincent Genova stated that his clients, who suffered serious injuries requiring hospital attention, expected a "timely and fair resolution." He explained that the $30,000 compensation offered by Delta was an "advance" payment, intended to help victims with short-term financial challenges. Delta will seek to deduct this amount from any future settlements.

The airline's response was swift, with emergency responders and the flight crew praised for their quick action in rescuing passengers from the wrecked aircraft. Delta’s Chief Executive, Ed Bastian, highlighted the professionalism of the crew, stating that they performed "heroically" as safety is a core part of their training.

In a similar incident, Asiana Airlines offered $10,000 in initial compensation to passengers involved in a 2013 San Francisco crash, and Alaska Airlines provided $1,500 to passengers after a mid-air door failure in 2024.

By Thursday morning, all 21 passengers taken to the hospital had been released. Delta continues to offer support to those affected by the incident.

The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder have been retrieved from the wreckage, and the investigation is being led by Canada's Transportation Safety Board (TSB), with support from US officials.

By Wednesday evening, the wreckage had been cleared from the airport runway.

This incident marks the fourth major aviation event in North America within just three weeks, following a crash in Arizona on Wednesday in which two people lost their lives when two small planes collided.

Despite these incidents, experts continue to emphasize that air travel remains extremely safe, even safer than other forms of transportation. US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy reiterated this message on CBS Wednesday, stating that there is no pattern to the accidents, as each one is "very unique."