A woman whose husband died after severe turbulence on a flight from Heathrow to East Asia is taking legal action against the airline.
Linda Kitchen, 74, from Thornbury, near Bristol, has launched a lawsuit against Singapore Airlines after her husband Geoff, 73, suffered a heart attack when the plane dropped suddenly at high altitude in May 2024.
Mrs Kitchen broke her back in the incident and has started legal proceedings at the High Court after losing her “soul mate”, according to the BBC.
Flight diverted after turbulence over Myanmar
The couple were beginning a six-week trip through Singapore, Indonesia and Australia when their outbound flight encountered turbulence. The situation became severe as the aircraft flew over Myanmar, and the flight was diverted to Bangkok, Thailand, for an emergency landing.
Mrs Kitchen described the moment the plane dropped around 6,000 ft, saying her husband was thrown on top of her, leaving her trapped against the armrest. Other passengers managed to lift him, and a doctor on board began CPR.
Widow hospitalised in Thailand
Mrs Kitchen was taken to hospital while her husband remained on the plane, and she did not learn of his death until two days later. She said: “When I got separated from Geoff, I knew he was in a bad way, but nothing prepared me for hearing he had died. It was absolutely devastating.”
She remained in hospital in Thailand for 10 days before being airlifted back to Bristol, describing the journey as “a blur” due to intense pain. After returning to the UK, she stayed in hospital for another week and has required significant assistance at home since then.
Legal action and airline response
Specialist aviation lawyer Anthe Korelidou, representing Mrs Kitchen, said: “That Geoff was fatally injured and Linda suffered severe injuries vividly highlights the severity of what happened. While it's more than two years since Geoff's death, Linda and the rest of her family continue to have a number of questions and concerns about what happened and if more could have been done to prevent their injuries.”
Korelidou added: “All Linda wants is for the most thorough investigations to be conducted. The issuing of High Court proceedings is a major milestone in being able to provide Geoff's loved ones with the answers they deserve.”
A spokesperson for Singapore Airlines said they were unable to comment on matters before the courts. In July 2024, the airline told the Independent it had adopted a “more cautious approach to managing turbulence in-flight” following the incident.
