Southwest Airlines is paying $5,000 in compensation and giving out $1,000 travel vouchers to passengers on the flight that made an emergency landing after a woman was partially sucked out of a window this week.
The airline sent a letter to passengers expressing “sincere apologies” for the incident, according to CNN and Fox. It wasn’t clear if all passengers were being compensated, but Southwest did confirm to Fox News that the letter went out.
“Ours is a company and culture built on relationships. We can confirm the communication and gesture are authentic and heartfelt,” Southwest said.
“We value you as our customer and hope you will allow us another opportunity to restore your confidence in Southwest as the airline you can count on for your travel needs,” the airline wrote in its letter to passengers. “In this spirit, we are sending you a check in the amount of $5,000 to cover any of your immediate financial needs.”
The plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Philadelphia after its engine failed. Debris from the engine hit one of the plane’s windows, and one passenger, identified as Jennifer Riordan, was almost sucked out of the plane. Passengers pulled Riordan back into the plane’s cabin, but she later died.
The jet was traveling from LaGuardia Airport in New York to Dallas and had 144 passengers and five crew on board.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident. A preliminary investigation showed a fan blade in the plane’s left engine broke while the plane was in the air.
