Maurice Blackburn

Airlines face legal action after coffee spills

A Canadian man and a Melbourne woman are taking legal action against Jetstar and Pacific Blue airlines for damages after suffering terrible burns when flight attendants spilt scalding coffee on them in two separate incidents.

The woman was onboard a Pacific Blue flight from Melbourne to Bali on October 8 and suffered burns from the base of her neck, down her chest to her abdomen.

Upon returning to Australia, the woman was found to have suffered first and second degree burns and had a week long family holiday ruined.

"We were about 90 minutes into the flight, excited about our holiday to Bali, when the flight attendant spilt coffee all over me," she said

"The pain was intense and the flight attendants offered me tissues and cloths to wipe the coffee off me.  I was then taken to the galley and had cold water poured all over my chest.

"The burns still hurt today and I don't know if I will be left with permanent scarring. I couldn't swim when in Bali and while the flight attendants did the best they could onboard, I have been offered no support or assistance by the airline since returning to Australia."

In a separate incident, Sebestien Cote-Paquin was asleep onboard a Jetstar flight from Hawaii to Sydney on November 25 last year.

"I woke up in a fright to find that a cup of coffee had been spilt all over my left arm. I made a bit of noise and when I took off my shirt to stop more coffee dripping onto my arm, my skin just peeled off," Mr Cote-Paquin said.

 "The crew then took me to the toilet where they poured cold water on the burn for around 20 minutes.

"At the same time, the crew checked to see if there was a doctor onboard and a bandage was put on my burn."

Maurice Blackburn's Andrew Dimsey said both passengers were entitled to sue the airlines for pain and suffering and reimbursement of their medical expenses as Australia is a signatory to the Convention which covers incidents occurring on international flights.

"Airlines have a clear responsibility to care for the well being and safety of their passengers and while the cabin crew took action to help our clients, they have a legitimate right to make a claim seeking compensation," Mr Dimsey said.

"Both these incidents were extremely distressing for our clients and it is the last thing that any traveller would want when on the start of an overseas holiday."