MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Air France, Airbus back on trial for doomed Rio-Paris flight

Flight AF447 took off from Rio de Janeiro on May 31, 2009, carrying 61 French nationals, 58 Brazilians, and people from 32 other countries

Air France and aircraft manufacturer Airbus are back in court to face an appeal against their 2023 acquittal on charges of corporate manslaughter related to the 2009 crash of flight AF447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, which killed all 228 people on board.

The crash occurred on June 1, 2009, when the plane went into an aerodynamic stall over the Atlantic after its speed sensors (pitot tubes) became blocked by ice crystals.

French investigators concluded the pilots mishandled the loss of data and failed to respond to alerts, leading the plane to plunge. The companies primarily blamed pilot error.

In 2023, a lower court cleared both companies of criminal responsibility, ruling that while they had committed negligent acts, these acts could not be proven to have directly caused the accident.

Airbus was cited for four negligent acts, including withholding information about the problematic sensors. At the same time, Air France was accused of negligence in communicating technical information about the faulty equipment to its pilots.

Prosecutors filed an appeal under pressure from the victims’ families, who argue that the companies knew about the sensor problems and failed to provide the crew with adequate high-altitude emergency training.

The appeal trial started this week and is scheduled to run through November 27. If convicted, the companies face fines of €225,000 each, in addition to significant reputational damage.

Air France Flight 447 (AF447) was a scheduled international passenger flight from Rio de Janeiro–Galeão International Airport in Brazil to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in France.

On June 1, 2009, the Airbus A330-203 (registration F-GZCP) crashed into the Atlantic Ocean about 600 miles (965 km) off the northeastern coast of Brazil, killing all 228 people on board—216 passengers and 12 crew members.

It remains one of the deadliest aviation disasters in Air France's history and the worst involving an Airbus A330. The incident highlighted vulnerabilities in high-altitude stall recovery, automation dependency, and sensor reliability, leading to global changes in pilot training and aircraft design.