Ryanair Settles €5,000 Hot Coffee Burn Claim on Mallorca Flight

A UK nurse has received nearly €5,000 in Ryanair passenger compensation following a severe hot coffee scalding incident on a flight to Mallorca, Spain. Denise Elliott, 63, from Southsea, suffered burns that required eight months to heal after the accident. The incident occurred on a flight from Bournemouth to the Spanish island.

Incident Details and Passenger Concerns

Ms. Elliott reported that the cabin crew served her coffee without a protective lid. They had informed her the aircraft had run out of them. The passenger placed the hot drink on her fold-down tray table. The table then shifted without warning, causing the scalding liquid to spill across her thighs.

Ms. Elliott, a registered nurse, later criticized the aircraft’s equipment. She stated the unstable tray table burn was a result of tables "not suitable for their purpose."

She also raised serious flight safety equipment concerns regarding the airline's preparedness. Her solicitor, Tracy Stansfield, noted that burn cases involving "wobbly tray tables" are becoming an "all-too-familiar story."

First Aid and Regulatory Compliance

The passenger also questioned the airline cabin crew first aid training. She requested a cold compress for her burns but was initially offered dry paper towels instead. While a specialist gel was eventually provided, the crew required it to be returned immediately to the medical kit.

European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulations mandate that cabin crew receive extensive training. This training covers aero-medical aspects and basic first aid, including the treatment of burns. This highlights the importance of adhering to EASA cabin safety standards for all European carriers.

Airline Liability and Legal Precedent

Ryanair denied responsibility for the injuries but agreed to an out-of-court settlement. The aviation passenger injury claims case was brought under the Montreal Convention, which governs international air travel.

This convention holds air carriers strictly liable for accidents that occur on board. This is true even if the passenger cannot prove negligence, up to a certain financial limit.

Landmark rulings by the EU Court of Justice have reinforced this principle. The court found that an airline is liable for harm caused by a spilled hot drink. This applies even if no specific hazard, like turbulence, caused the spill. This legal framework is key to understanding airline liability for injury claims like this one.

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