Parliament Question: Crash victim settlement to seek waivers from suing the airline/boeing

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 4022 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 30th March 2026 CRASH VICTIM SETTLEMENT TO SEEK WAIVERS FROM SUING THE AIRLINE/BOEING 4022. SHRI SAKET GOKHALE Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) whether Government is aware that Air India has offered financial settlements to the families of AI-171 crash victims that are conditional on signing indemnity bonds permanently waiving their right to sue the airline or Boeing globally; (b) whether such waivers are being sought before the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has published its final investigation report; (c) whether Government considers this consistent with victims' rights to seek redress if systemic failures are subsequently established; and (d) the mechanism, if any, that prevents airlines from obtaining such waivers before an official investigation concludes and whether Government intends to create one? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a) to (d) The rights and liabilities arising out of international carriage by air are governed by the Carriage by Air Act, 1972, as amended to give effect to the Montreal Convention 1999. The Government has been informed by Air India that it has commenced the process of offering final compensation to the families of deceased victims of AI-171. It has been further informed that such final compensation is being offered on a full and final basis and the Next of Kin are required to choose to enter into a Release, Discharge, and Indemnity (RDI) document, confirming that they have no claims against the airline or any other party. The accident of AI-171 is under investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and the final investigation report is still awaited. The investigation of accident and payment of compensation operate under distinct statutory frameworks. ******