The widow of a British passenger who died after Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 was struck by severe turbulence in 2024 has taken legal action against the airline, more than two years after the incident.
Linda Kitchen, 74, has started proceedings in the British High Court, seeking damages linked to serious spinal injuries she suffered during the flight. The legal action is intended to help her obtain specialist support for the injuries she sustained.
Her husband, Geoffrey Kitchen, died after the Boeing aircraft encountered extreme turbulence while travelling from London to Singapore on May 21, 2024. The flight was later diverted to Bangkok for an emergency landing after the sudden turbulence caused numerous passengers and crew members to suffer injuries.
Passenger thrown into chaos during sudden turbulence
According to Kitchen, the aircraft had already encountered some turbulence earlier in the journey, but the most severe episode happened when the plane was about 10 hours into the flight.
She described the experience as feeling as though the aircraft was suddenly dropping. During the incident, Geoffrey fell onto his wife, forcing her against the armrest of her seat and leaving her seriously injured.
Other passengers subsequently helped move Geoffrey, while a doctor travelling on the aircraft began performing CPR. Despite the efforts made on board, Geoffrey suffered a fatal heart attack.
The aircraft, which was carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members, was diverted to Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, where it made an emergency landing. Linda was taken to hospital following the incident, while her husband remained on the aircraft.
Widow spent 10 days in hospital after SQ321 incident
Kitchen was reportedly informed two days after the incident that her husband had died. She later spent 10 days in hospital before being airlifted back to Bristol.
After returning to the UK, she required significant assistance at home and subsequently spent another week in a British hospital, according to the source.
Linda and Geoffrey had been married for 52 years and were beginning a six-week holiday that was expected to take them to Singapore, Indonesia and Australia when the SQ321 incident occurred.
Her lawyer, Anthe Korelidou, said the circumstances highlighted the severity of the injuries suffered during the flight. She said the family continued to have questions about what happened and whether more could have been done to prevent passengers from being injured.
Korelidou added that the High Court proceedings represented an important step towards obtaining answers for Geoffrey’s family and pursuing a thorough examination of the incident.
Two separate legal claims filed against Singapore Airlines
Court documents reportedly contain two claims connected to the Kitchen family. One was filed on behalf of Linda, while another was brought in her name on behalf of Geoffrey’s estate.
British court records also reportedly show that six other people have separately commenced legal proceedings against Singapore Airlines in connection with the flight.
Singapore Airlines said it could not comment on matters currently before the courts when approached for a response.
The airline had previously offered compensation to passengers affected by the 2024 incident. Those with minor injuries were offered US$10,000, equivalent to about S$13,500, while passengers with serious injuries requiring long-term medical care could request an advance payment of US$25,000, or about S$31,800.
Singapore Airlines also said it would provide full refunds of airfares to all passengers on SQ321 and apologised for the traumatic experience.
Investigation examined sudden altitude changes
An investigation by Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB), published in May 2026, found that the actions taken by the flight crew in response to the sudden turbulence were considered understandable and appropriate given the circumstances.
The investigation also said it could not rule out the possibility that a malfunction involving the aircraft’s weather radar prevented the crew from detecting storm clouds along the aircraft’s flight path.
The findings add another layer to the legal proceedings as the Kitchen family seeks answers over the events that led to Geoffrey’s death and Linda’s serious injuries.
The SQ321 incident remains one of the most serious turbulence-related events involving a commercial flight in recent years, with the sudden changes in altitude occurring within just a few seconds.
For Linda Kitchen, however, the aftermath has continued long after the aircraft landed in Bangkok, with her injuries requiring ongoing support and her family’s legal case now seeking accountability and further answers.