When someone dies or is seriously injured in an aviation accident, there will be immediate questions. What happened? Could it have been prevented? How will the truth be established? Often it is a spouse, parent, or close family member who has to start asking these questions. If that is you, you may be searching for answers from another country, before you have had time to take everything in, while supporting other family members and facing decisions you are not prepared for.

Who we represent

We act exclusively for the families and survivors of aviation accidents and are often instructed in the immediate aftermath.

Our clients include:

• Families of those who have died in aviation accidents
• Passengers, pilots or crew seriously injured in air accidents.

We have acted for survivors and families from more than 50 countries across six continents.

What we do first

An aviation accident sets multiple processes in motion straight away. There is usually a technical investigation by aviation authorities. Sometimes there is a criminal investigation. There may be an inquest. The airline and its insurers will already be active. Each will run on its own timeline, with its own rules, and each can affect your claim.

In the early days, the practical questions are usually:

• How long will it take to find out what happened?
• Who is responsible, and how will accountability be determined?
• Which country’s laws apply, and where can a claim be brought?
• What needs to happen now, and what can wait?

We work through all of these with you from the start. When everything feels urgent and unfamiliar, we explain your options, set out what comes next, and help you make sound decisions about what needs attention now.

Where cases cross borders, as they often do, we work with trusted legal partners across the world, so you are not left dealing with distance, language, and unfamiliar processes on your own.

How we work throughout your case

Aviation accidents are technically complex. They involve engineering evidence, regulatory findings, and legal arguments, often across several countries. Our team brings technical, legal, and insurance expertise to every case.

Building a strong case requires lawyers who understand the technical details, as well as the law. We are the leading law firm in the UK and EU for aviation accident claims. Aviation litigation is all we do, and that focus is rare in the UK claimant market. This means that we can promise you that the lawyer handling your case is a genuine specialist in aviation accident claims and can also draw on the collective expertise of our market-leading team.

These cases take time. We coordinate the moving parts and stay with you throughout, keeping you informed of where things stand and what each development means. Part of our role is helping you understand what the investigation has found and how it affects your claim.

Our job is to secure the right outcome for our clients. We also investigate the causes of accidents, both independently and alongside government investigators, and campaign nationally and internationally for improvements to aviation safety. Our cases have contributed to changes in safety standards and procedures. Air safety is a right, not a privilege.

The aim, in the end, is to restore, as far as possible, the financial stability that was taken from you.

Recognition and results

Our team is ranked no. 1 for aviation accident claims in the UK by Chambers and Partners.

“Stewarts is the best claimant aviation firm for this type of work. It is an extremely impressive firm.” Chambers and Partners 2026

Since 2006, we have recovered more than $500m for over 1,250 bereaved families and injured survivors of more than 120 aviation accidents worldwide. This is more than any other claimant aviation team in the UK or Europe.

Seeking answers following the Air India Flight 171 disaster

The crash of Air India Flight 171 in June 2025 claimed the lives of 53 British passengers and devastated families across the UK and India. Acting for almost 50 bereaved families, Stewarts has been at the forefront of efforts to secure answers, challenge shortcomings in the response to the tragedy, and pursue compensation from those responsible. Read about Air India Flight 171.

Helping bereaved families obtain answers and drive aviation safety change

Following a fatal helicopter crash in the Grand Canyon that claimed the lives of five British tourists, Stewarts supported the bereaved families through a complex inquest that sought answers about what happened and why. The investigation’s findings led to recommendations aimed at improving passenger safety and helping to prevent similar tragedies in the future. Read more about Papillon Grand Canyon helicopter crash.

Get in touch with our Aviation team

You can speak to us whenever you are ready. You may be in the first days after an accident, still trying to make sense of it. Or perhaps you already have a claim underway and want a second opinion from lawyers who specialise in this area. If you want to talk through your situation, get in touch.