Airline group SAS AB is seeking US$77 million in compensation from Montreal-based Bombardier after some of the aircraft maker's Q-400 turboprop planes had to be grounded last month.
Bombardier made the recommendation to ground the planes on Sept. 12 after the model was involved in two emergency crash-landings -- both from the SAS (Scandinavian Airlines System) fleet.
The two separate accidents, in Denmark and Lithuania, involved landing gear malfunctions. No one was seriously injured in either accident.
SAS has had its entire fleet of Q400 turboprops grounded since the recommendation.
"The incidents were caused by flaws in components not included in the maintenance manual. This is why we feel the responsibility lies with Bombardier,'' SAS spokesman Hans Ollongren said.
Last month's recommendation was made in conjunction with landing gear manufacturer Goodrich Corp. and applied only to planes that had taken off and landed more than 10,000 times.
In total, about 60 of the 160 turboprops in use by airlines worldwide were affected.
Ollongren said compensation talks are set to begin shortly.
He said SAS has lost about US$62 million since the groundings.
"There are other costs involved, too, related to credibility and other things,'' said Ollongren.
He would not comment on whether SAS planned to sue Bombardier saying "we'll start with discussions. We won't go into methods yet.''
In the first incident last month, an SAS Q-400 landing in Aalborg, Denmark caught fire after a crash landing. Five people were hurt in the evacuation.
Three days later, an SAS Q-400 skidded off the runway and smashed one wing into the ground after the plane's right-side landing gear failed to lower during an emergency landing in Vilnius, Lithuania.
None of the 48 passengers or four crew members was hurt.
SAS will start flying the turboprops again on Thursday.
With files from The Canadian Press
