The money comes from a $50m financial assistance fund, which Boeing announced in July.

The fund has started accepting claims, which must be submitted before 2020.

Lawyers for the victims' families, many of whom are pursuing the company in court, have dismissed the fund as a publicity stunt.

"$144,000 doesn't come close to compensating any of our families or any of the families," said Nomaan Husain, a Texas-based attorney who is representing 15 families.

"This is not something that is going to satisfy the families. The families really want answers."

More than 340 people died in the crashes. The Lion Air Boeing 737 Max crashed into the sea after taking off from Indonesia last October and the Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max crashed en route to Kenya in March.

The 737 Max plane has been grounded since March, as investigators evaluate its safety.