The parents of 16 high school classmates killed in the Germanwings plane crash delivered a scathing open letter to the airline’s chief on Tuesday, amplifying other families’ complaints of the “deeply insulting” compensation offers made in recent weeks.
In the German-language letter, made public by the families’ lawyer, the victims’ parents accuse Carsten Spohr, CEO of parent airline Lufthansa, of neglecting them in the aftermath of the March 24 crash.
You published large ads in many daily newspapers during the memorial service in Cologne. You saw us during the funeral service in Haltern, during the memorial service in Cologne. A few personal words during a conversation with you would have shown us, that you care not only for the public, but for us as well. . .
We, and especially our children, are deeply insulted that you measure the life of each of our children and our pain that we suffered with €45,000. This is the amount that you personally get paid every work week by Lufthansa as a salary. Every week.
A Lufthansa spokesperson has denied the claims made in the letter, stating that Spohr has made every effort to speak with victims’ families, the Associated Press reported. Spohr has also attended many services for victims, including one in Haltern, Germany, where the 16 students had attended school, the spokesperson said.
A total of 156 passengers and crew were killed in the crash of Germanwings Flight 9525. Prosecutors have claimed it was a deliberate act by the mentally ill co-pilot.
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