Girl scalded by boiling water on Aer Lingus flight settles case for €23,000

High Court action claimed that cup of tea ordered for then seven-year-old was being put on tray when incident occurred

The seven-year-old was travelling with her mother on a flight from Shannon Airport to Lanzarote on November 30th, 2019 when the incident happened. Photograph: Alan Betson
The seven-year-old was travelling with her mother on a flight from Shannon Airport to Lanzarote on November 30th, 2019 when the incident happened. Photograph: Alan Betson

A child who was scalded by boiling water on an Aer Lingus flight has settled her High Court action for €23,000.

The girl was seven and travelling with her mother on a flight from Shannon Airport to Lanzarote on November 30th, 2019 when the incident happened.

It was claimed that a cup of tea was ordered and a cup of boiling water was being put on a tray when the incident occurred. The girl suffered a burn injury to her right arm.

Róisín Loughnane, now aged 11, from Birr, Co Offaly, had through her mother, Caroline Mitchell, sued Aer Lingus over the incident.

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She was on an afternoon flight from Shannon when it was claimed that, suddenly and without warning, she sustained an injury when a cup of boiling water being served by an air host was caused to spill on her.

It was claimed there was a failure to protect the child from a foreseeable risk and an alleged failure to have any proper or adequate system for the service of a cup of boiling water on the aircraft. It was further claimed that the cup of water was served at a temperature likely to scald and it was caused to spill on the child.

Cold running water was put on the burn and Róisín was given first aid on the flight. The child was brought to her doctor on December 9th, 2019 and later examined in hospital.

A medical report read in the court said the burn injury caused blistering and pain but it was noted that it was a superficial injury and healed well.

Mr Justice Garrett Simons approved the settlement.