• Linda Kitchen seeks damages after her husband died from turbulence on Singapore Airlines flight SQ321.
• She suffered serious spinal injuries and is pursuing legal proceedings in the High Court.
• The incident involved severe turbulence that caused the plane to drop 6,000 feet over Myanmar.
• Singapore Airlines admitted to issues and offered compensation to injured passengers.
• Other passengers have also started legal action against the airline for injuries sustained.

The widow of a British man who died during severe turbulence on Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight SQ321 in May 2024 is now pursuing legal action against the airline. Linda Kitchen, aged 74, from Thornbury near Bristol, broke her back during the incident, which occurred as the flight traveled from London to Singapore. She has initiated High Court proceedings seeking damages to assist with her recovery, as reported by Channel News Asia and Bangkok Post.

During the flight, severe turbulence struck as the aircraft was nearing Myanmar, causing it to unexpectedly drop about 6,000 feet. Mrs. Kitchen's husband, Geoff Kitchen, 73, was fatally injured and fell on top of her, pinning her against a seat armrest before help arrived from other passengers. Linda recalls the terrifying moment: “It felt like the aircraft was dropping,” she said, according to South China Morning Post and Bangkok Post.

Linda Kitchen spent ten days in a Bangkok hospital following the emergency landing, which was necessitated by the injuries sustained by her and other passengers. Ultimately, she only learned two days after the turbulence that Geoff had died due to a heart attack, reportedly triggered by the traumatic drop, as outlined by Channel News Asia and South China Morning Post.

Legal proceedings are also being pursued by several other passengers who sustained injuries during the flight. Reports indicate that numerous individuals have rejected initial compensation offers of US$10,000 for minor injuries and US$25,000 for serious injuries provided by SIA post-incident and are instead opting to take legal action. Anthe Korelidou, the lawyer representing Mrs. Kitchen, emphasized the ongoing concerns about the circumstances of the turbulence incident, as noted by Bangkok Post and South China Morning Post.

Following the incident, Singapore Airlines offered compensations and has since implemented measures to enhance turbulence management procedures. These include updated training for flight crews on turbulence response, enhanced monitoring on crew tablets, and improved communication strategies regarding turbulence to ensure passenger safety, as mentioned in various reports including those from Channel News Asia and South China Morning Post.