A French appeals court has found Airbus and Air France guilty of manslaughter over the 2009 crash of Flight AF447, which killed all 228 people on board during a journey from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.
The Paris Court of Appeal ruled that both companies were fully responsible for the disaster and imposed the maximum corporate manslaughter fine of 225,000 euros ($261,720) per company. The verdict overturns a 2023 ruling that had cleared both firms of criminal liability.
The crash occurred on June 1, 2009, when the Airbus A330 disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean after its pitot tubes — sensors used to measure airspeed — malfunctioned during a storm. Investigators later concluded that the aircraft stalled after the autopilot disengaged and the pilots struggled to respond to conflicting flight data.
Families of the victims argued that Airbus and Air France were aware of recurring issues with the aircraft’s speed sensors but failed to take adequate corrective action or properly train pilots for such emergencies.
Airbus announced it would appeal the decision to France’s highest court, maintaining that the ruling contradicts earlier findings by prosecutors and the 2023 acquittal.
The AF447 tragedy remains France’s deadliest aviation disaster and has led to major changes in pilot training and aircraft safety procedures worldwide.
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