February 13, 2024
2 mins read

Ex-SIA Steward Sues for In-Flight Fall: S$1.78M Claim

SIA denied Santiran’s claims saying that SIA pays all valid and legitimate claims made by employees, but responds “firmly” to invalid, illegitimate, and false claims…reports Asian Lite News

A Malaysian-Indian former flight steward is suing Singapore Airlines (SIA) for S$1.78 million after he slipped and fell onboard a plane in 2019 resulting in spinal injuries.

Durairaj Santiran, who was employed by SIA from April 2016 to April 2021, alleged that his former employer was negligent in allowing the workplace to be unsafe, The Straits Times newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The 35-year-old was in the economy-class galley of a flight from San Francisco which was scheduled to land in Singapore on the evening of September 6, 2019.

He said about two hours before landing he slipped on a patch of grease on the floor and fell on his back, hitting his head on the floor.

Santiran, who wore a neck brace when he attended court on February 13, claimed that as a result of his spinal injuries, he is medically unfit to continue working as a flight steward.

He is seeking S$1.29 million for loss of future earnings, S$30,000 for loss of earning capacity, and S$150,000 for future medical and transport expenses.

According to the lawsuit, the international carrier failed to ensure that the floor of the aircraft was free of any substance that might cause Santiran to slip, and failed to ensure that there was a system of cleaning to keep the floors safe.

His lawyers, Ramasamy Chettiar and Kasturibai Manickam said that the fact that SIA did not take any preventive measures showed that the work system was inadequate, and the workplace was allowed to be unsafe.

SIA denied Santiran’s claims saying that SIA pays all valid and legitimate claims made by employees, but responds “firmly” to invalid, illegitimate, and false claims.

SIA lawyers highlighted that Santiran made two previous work injury claims, in 2017 and 2018, which the airline did not contest.

In these claims, he was awarded compensation for back and neck injuries through the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA) process.

However, his present WICA claim has been objected to as his injuries appeared to be pre-existing, they argued.

Going further, the lawyers contended that there was no grease patch “on the floor of the economy-class galley near the ovens beside the galley island” as alleged and that this was not the location where Santiran fell.

He also claimed that after he fell, his colleagues helped him into a “crew seat”. But SIA said he was “assisted into the business-class section”, where he remained until the plane landed.

The SIA lawyer told the court that the entire claim about there being a patch of grease that caused him to fall was bogus, to which Santiran disagreed.

ALSO READ-Sharjah-Malaysia Roundtable Strengthens Ties, Aims to Double Businesses

Previous Story

‘Bharat is proud of you’: Modi tells Indian diaspora in UAE

Next Story

US House Votes to Impeach Homeland Security Chief Over Border Security

Latest from -Top News

Crackdown in Balochistan Draws Global Outrage

Despite repeated denials from Islamabad, rights watchdogs and political activists say the pattern of abuses reflects a systemic campaign to silence the Baloch voice….reports Asian Lite News Human rights organisations have renewed

‘Killer’ Chants as Munir Visits US Event

Videos of the protest against Munir have surfaced on social media. Overseas Pakistanis staged a protest during the US visit of Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, shouting slogans

G7 Sides with Israel in Escalating Conflict

The leaders said “Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror.”…reports Asian Lite News Leaders of the G7 nations, meeting at a summit in Canada, issued a joint statement backing

Awami League Slams ‘Fascist’ Yunus

The videos from the protest shared on the party’s social media page showed several party activists marching through the streets of Dhaka in support of Hasina…reports Asian Lite News Hundreds of Awami

Tehran Alert: India Asks Nationals to Evacuate

As the Israel-Iran conflict entered its fifth day, the hostilities between the two nations continued to escalate…reports Asian Lite News India has urged its nationals in Iran and Persons of Indian Origin(PIO)
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Belarus flights ban decision not political: EU Commission

On May 23, a Ryanair flight en route from Greece

Flight of Flavors

Goa, known for its pristine beaches and vibrant nightlife, is