Lufthansa to make compensation offer this week to families of Germanwings plane crash victims

Lufthansa is preparing to make a compensation offer this week to relatives of those who died in the March 24 Germanwings plane crash in the French Alps.

French prosecutors believe the plane, operated by the Lufthansa subsidiary Germanwings, was intentionally crashed into a mountain 24 by co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, killing all 150 people on board.

Lufthansa spokesman Andreas Bartels told The Associated Press on Monday that the compensation offer would probably be made Tuesday to attorneys representing the families of the victims. He would not elaborate.

Berlin-based lawyer Elmar Giemulla, who represents about 30 of the families, said he expected it by week's end.

Immediately after the crash, Lufthansa offered aid of up to 50,000 euros ($56,000) per passenger to their relatives, independent of any eventual compensation payments.