After 17 years of blaming the pilots, today’s ruling finally acknowledges the truth: Airbus and Air France have been found guilty of corporate manslaughter — “solely and entirely responsible for the crash of Flight AF447.” A historic verdict. Justice, at long last, has been served.
As I wrote in my book, “26 Seconds,” the pilots of AF447 were placed in an unsafe condition with no proper training, and it was these conditions, not human failure, that led to the deaths of 228 people. The world now recognizes this.
Change takes time but perhaps the legacy of AF447 is this: we may finally be courageous enough to hold corporations to account. Because accountability is critical for safety, for truth, and for every life entrusted to our aviation system. ✈️