Widow of SIA Flight SQ321 victim sues airline over fatal turbulence incident

On May 21, 2024, Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321 was crossing the sky above Myanmar when it dropped 54 meters in five seconds. The aircraft was en route from London to Singapore with 211 passengers and 18 crew members aboard. What began as a routine breakfast service became a moment of chaos—objects and people thrown violently through the cabin, the ordinary rules of physics suspended for those five seconds of free fall.

Geoffrey Kitchen, a 74-year-old British theatre director, was sitting next to his wife Linda when the plunge happened. He fell on top of her, crushing her against the armrest. Other passengers helped move him. A doctor on board began performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The flight was diverted to Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok for an emergency landing. Geoffrey Kitchen did not survive the incident; he suffered a fatal heart attack during the turbulence. Linda Kitchen, also 74, sustained a broken back.

She learned of her husband's death two days after the incident. The couple had been married for 52 years and were on a six-week holiday to Singapore, Indonesia, and Australia. "When I got separated from Geoff, I knew he was in a bad way, but nothing prepared me for hearing he had died," she said in remarks reported by British media. "It was absolutely devastating."

Linda Kitchen spent ten days in a Thai hospital before being airlifted back to Bristol. Once home in the United Kingdom, she remained hospitalized for about a week longer and required substantial assistance during her recovery. In total, 79 people were injured on the flight. Now, more than two years after the incident, she has filed proceedings at Britain's High Court seeking damages from Singapore Airlines to help fund specialist medical support for her broken back.

Her legal representative, aviation lawyer Anthe Korelidou, framed the lawsuit not simply as a claim for compensation but as a search for accountability. "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 said. "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."

The court papers filed on Linda Kitchen's behalf include two separate claims—one for herself and one on behalf of Geoffrey Kitchen's estate. She is not alone in pursuing legal action. The Independent reported that at least six other passengers have also launched suits against Singapore Airlines: Bradley Richards, Jack Jenkins, Hannah Fullerton, Andrew Dawood, Bryan Matthews, and Pauline and Michael Rainey.

Singapore Airlines has not commented on the pending litigation, citing court proceedings. The airline did, however, offer compensation to passengers in 2024. Those who suffered minor injuries were offered US$10,000. Passengers with serious injuries requiring long-term medical care and requesting financial assistance received an advance payment of US$25,000. The airline also refunded all airfares and issued an apology, stating: "We sincerely apologise to all passengers and crew members on board Flight SQ321 for their traumatic experience. The safety and well-being of SIA's passengers and staff are our top priority."

A report by Singapore's Transport Safety Investigation Bureau found that storm clouds likely responsible for the severe turbulence were not detected by the aircraft's on-board weather radar, catching the captain by surprise. However, the bureau said it remains inconclusive whether the weather radar system itself had a technical fault. The investigation did not resolve the question of whether the incident could have been prevented.