Singapore Airlines (SIA) said Tuesday it had offered $10,000 in compensation to passengers who suffered minor injuries on a flight hit by extreme turbulence last month and will discuss higher payouts with those more badly hurt. A 73-year-old British man died and several other passengers and crew onboard flight SQ321 from London suffered skull, brain, and spine injuries during the terrifying high-altitude ordeal.

The pilots diverted the Singapore-bound Boeing 777-300ER carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew to Bangkok, where the injured were taken to hospitals. In a statement on Tuesday, SIA said it had sent out emails offering US$10,000 in compensation to passengers who sustained minor injuries during the incident.

“For those who sustained more serious injuries … we have invited them to discuss a compensation offer to meet each of their specific circumstances when they feel well and ready to do so,” the airline said. “Passengers medically assessed as having sustained serious injuries, requiring long-term medical care, and requesting financial assistance are offered an advance payment of US$25,000 to address their immediate needs. This will be part of the final compensation that these passengers will receive.”

In addition, the carrier said it would refund the airfares of all passengers on the flight, including those who were not injured. “All passengers will also receive delay compensation in accordance with the relevant European Union or United Kingdom regulations,” it said.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 11 passengers from the flight were still receiving treatment in hospitals in Bangkok, a SIA spokesperson told AFP.

An international agreement, the Montreal Convention, makes airlines liable for physical injuries from accidents on international flights, which can include turbulence, regardless of whether they were negligent. If passengers file a lawsuit, the airline cannot contest damages up to about $175,000, but if greater damages are sought, Singapore Airlines can try to limit liability by proving it took all necessary measures to avoid the turbulence, lawyers say.

Individuals’ travel insurance policies will probably cover injuries from aircraft turbulence, but policies may vary, the Association of British Insurers said after the incident. Travel claims lawyer Peter Carter said his Australia-based firm, Carter Capner Law, which represents some passengers, is paying close attention to what accident reports may say about the type of turbulence and whether pilots could have avoided it.

SIA earlier gave Sg$1,000 ($740) to each passenger departing Bangkok for their final destination to cover their immediate expenses. It has also been shouldering the medical expenses of the injured passengers, and had arranged for their family members to fly to Bangkok when requested.

In a preliminary report, Singapore’s Transport Ministry said a rapid change in gravitational force and a drop in altitude of 54 m (177 ft) probably caused passengers and crew to become airborne. The plane was probably flying over an area of “developing convective activity”, it said, using a term referring to developing bad weather.

The most common cause of turbulence is the unstable weather patterns that trigger storms, which can be detected by weather radar, allowing pilots to fly around potential patches. Another type, clear air turbulence, is a sudden and severe swirl even where there are no clouds. Such invisible pockets of air are hard to predict.

Singapore Airlines, which is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading airlines and a benchmark for much of the industry, has not had major incidents in recent years. An analyst at Singapore-based DBS bank, Jason Sum, said the turbulence incident had not altered the bank’s view on the carrier. “We anticipate limited negative impact as public perception of the airline’s safety standards and consumer sentiment remains intact,” he told Reuters on Tuesday, adding its crisis management had been “exemplary”.