More 1549 Passengers Looking for Free Money

[Matt Molnar]

NY Times:

A.I.G. Balks at Claims From Jet Ditching in Hudson

By MARY WILLIAMS WALSH
Published: June 11, 2009

For the first couple of days after his flight ditched into the Hudson River, Paul Jorgenson was just glad to be alive. But then he started to need his laptop, his wallet, his car keys — all the essentials he had stowed under his seat and left behind in the sinking plane.

A pleasant woman at US Airways told him not to worry; he would be made whole for his losses. But then the matter shifted to US Airways’ insurer, the American International Group, operating under government stewardship since its bailout last fall.

“Everything went downhill,” said Mr. Jorgenson, a software executive in Charlotte, N.C., whose laptop and keys have not been recovered. [Full Article]

Points:

• The family is using AIG's other controversies to gain traction for their own cause. As we are all AIG shareholders now, I would prefer they stick to the letter of their policies and not just hand out money because it seems like a nice thing to do.[/*:m:ak07i992]
• The insurance policy, as I understand it, only pays out if it is shown the airline was negligent. From all accounts US fulfilled every obligation. I would argue that US has no obligation to keep you alive given such an eventuality, but they did, hence exceeding their obligations.[/*:m:ak07i992]
• US Airways already wrote out $5,000 checks to the passengers as a goodwill gesture, in some cases more. They were legally obligated to pay $0.[/*:m:ak07i992]
• People need to accept the fact that one-in-a-billion accidents do happen, and the chances of them surviving such an event is probably one-in-10-billion. They should be happy to be alive and move on.[/*:m:ak07i992]

[corellian21]

I agree , these people should be happy there alive and walk away. If they have already gotten something, then there should be no arguement.

[cancidas]

Points:

• The family is using AIG's other controversies to gain traction for their own cause. As we are all AIG shareholders now, I would prefer they stick to the letter of their policies and not just hand out money because it seems like a nice thing to do.[/*:m:1ei0icmt]
• The insurance policy, as I understand it, only pays out if it is shown the airline was negligent. From all accounts US fulfilled every obligation. I would argue that US has no obligation to keep you alive given such an eventuality, but they did, hence exceeding their obligations.[/*:m:1ei0icmt]
• US Airways already wrote out $5,000 checks to the passengers as a goodwill gesture, in some cases more. They were legally obligated to pay $0.[/*:m:1ei0icmt]
• People need to accept the fact that one-in-a-billion accidents do happen, and the chances of them surviving such an event is probably one-in-10-billion. They should be happy to be alive and move on.[/*:m:1ei0icmt]

HERE HERE! couldn't agree with you more...

[moose135]

I agree , these people should be happy there alive and walk away. If they have already gotten something, then there should be no arguement.