HALIFAX— A Nova Scotia court has approved an $18.075 million settlement linked to the 2015 crash landing of Air Canada Flight AC624 at Halifax Stanfield International Airport.
The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia approved the agreement on June 26, 2026, bringing a class-action case involving passengers to a close more than 11 years after the accident.
Air Canada (AC) Flight 624 was operating from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ) when the Airbus A320-211 struck terrain short of the runway during a snowstorm on March 29, 2015.
The aircraft was carrying 133 passengers and five crew members, with 25 people taken to hospital after the accident.
Air Canada Settlement Details and Compensation
The approved settlement will be funded by Air Canada, NAV CANADA, and the Halifax International Airport Authority. Air Canada will contribute $15.075 million, while NAV CANADA will pay $2 million and the airport authority will provide $1 million, bringing the total to $18.075 million.
The settlement covers passenger compensation as well as legal fees, administration expenses, taxes, interest, disbursements, and other related costs.
Legal fees account for approximately $5.7 million of the total settlement, while an allocation has also been made for claims involving public health insurers.
The class action originally named Air Canada, Airbus, NAV CANADA, the Halifax International Airport Authority, the Attorney General of Canada and the pilots. However, the final settlement involves payments from Air Canada, NAV CANADA and the airport authority.
Ray Wagner of Wagners said the agreement represents a negotiated compromise and does not amount to an admission or finding of liability by the participating defendants.
Passenger Compensation and Settlement Payments
Of the 133 passengers on Flight AC624, two opted out of the class action. Lawyers were unable to reach two others, leaving 129 passengers eligible for compensation under the approved settlement.
Compensation will reflect the type, severity, and duration of physical and psychological injuries suffered by passengers.
According to the settlement details, 70 passengers will receive awards of $10,000, $20,000 or $30,000, while other passengers will receive at least $30,000, with some awards reaching several hundred thousand dollars.
The three law firms representing the passengers were Wagners, MacGillivray Law, and Camp Fiorante Matthews Mogerman. With the claims already assessed, passengers are expected to receive their payments without going through another claims process.
AC624 Crash Findings and Investigation
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada found that Flight AC624 struck the ground about 740 feet, or 225 metres, before the Runway 05 threshold while conducting a non-precision approach in poor weather.
The aircraft then struck a localizer antenna, hit the ground again and slid along the runway before coming to rest.
The 2017 investigation identified several contributing factors, including Air Canada’s approach procedures, poor visibility and runway lighting.
Investigators found that the flight crew did not adequately monitor altitude and distance from the runway threshold after beginning the descent, while the approach and runway lights were not set to maximum brightness despite the weather conditions.
The court-approved settlement now closes the passenger class action without a trial. The case had been scheduled for trial earlier in 2026 before the parties reached the agreement.
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