A Paris appeals court has delivered a verdict finding both Airbus and Air France guilty of corporate manslaughter regarding the 2009 loss of Flight 447. The ruling concludes a 17-year legal process following the crash of the Airbus A330 in the Atlantic Ocean, which resulted in 228 fatalities.
The court imposed the maximum fine of 225,000 euros on each entity. The litigation centered on whether technical sensor issues and airline training protocols constituted criminal negligence. Investigators previously determined that the crash resulted from a sequence of events, including frozen pitot tubes, inconsistent airspeed data, and flight crew responses to the ensuing stall.
This outcome deviates from a 2023 lower court decision that had acquitted both parties. The verdict carries implications for industry standards regarding OEM liability and the operational responsibility of carriers in managing complex system failures.
Airbus has announced plans to appeal the decision to the Court of Cassation. The manufacturer stated that the appeals court ruling contradicts prior dismissal orders and the initial acquittal. The case serves as a point of focus for operators and manufacturers regarding the long-term legal accountability associated with major aviation safety investigations.