The French Court of Appeal begins new sessions today (Monday) for the trial of the companies "Air France" and "Airbus," after 16 years since the crash of the Airbus A330 belonging to Air France (Flight AF447) in the Atlantic Ocean, which resulted in the death of all 228 passengers during its flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on June 1, 2009.

Airbus A330: From Acquittal to Retrial

In 2023, a lower French court acquitted both companies of involuntary manslaughter charges after a historic public trial that addressed the incident.

Investigations lasting two years to locate the plane's black boxes revealed that the pilots mishandled a temporary loss of data from the speed sensors (known as "Pitot tubes") that froze due to ice, leading the aircraft to enter a state of aerodynamic stall without responding to alerts.

The trial, which took place more than a decade after the incident, highlighted discussions between "Air France" and "Airbus" regarding increasing issues with the Pitot tubes that generate speed readings.

New Evidence and Cases of Negligence

After 9 weeks of evidence, a judge in Paris pointed to 4 cases of negligence on the part of "Airbus" and one on the part of "Air France," but concluded that these actions were insufficient under French criminal law to establish a direct link between the negligence and the incident that occurred during a nighttime storm.

The new trial is expected to last for two months, during which the lawyers for the victims' families will seek to convince the appellate judges of a direct connection between the previously identified negligence and the disaster.

Victims' Reaction

Sébastien Boussi, a lawyer for one of the main associations of the relatives of the aircraft victims, told French media, "It is painful for families to reopen the case after 16 years, but it is essential to continue and prove criminal responsibility," adding, "If one of these acts of negligence had been removed, the incident would never have occurred."

Both companies continuously deny any criminal wrongdoing, and although the maximum fine for involuntary manslaughter is only 225,000 euros, prosecutors believe that the new trial will help provide a comforting psychological impact for the families who protested the previous ruling.

The French Atlantic Plane Crash Disaster

The disaster of Flight AF447 is one of the most controversial aviation incidents, leading to numerous technical and training changes in the aviation industry.

Prosecutors assert that "Airbus" was slow to respond to the increasing incidents of speed sensor failures, while "Air France" failed to ensure adequate training for the pilots.

The previous trial revealed sharp divisions between the two leading French companies regarding the role of the pilots and the sensors in the worst aviation disaster in France's history.

The CEOs of "Airbus" and "Air France" (part of the Air France-KLM French-Dutch group) are expected to make statements during the opening session that begins today (Monday).