Under an international treaty known as the Montreal Convention, the airline must pay relatives of each deceased passenger an initial sum of around $150,000 to $175,000.
Relatives of victims can also sue for further damages -- unless the airline can prove that it took all necessary measures to prevent a crash or any other incident that prevented passengers from arriving safely.
Liability could also stretch beyond the airline to the plane's manufacturer, Boeing (BA,Fortune 500), if a mechanical flaw is ruled the cause. But that would be difficult to prove if the plane is not recovered.
With files from CNNMoney
