Southsea holidaymaker wins £4,000 damages from Ryanair after hot drink scalds thighs

Denise Elliott, who was flying with friends to Majorca from Bournemouth on the budget airline, ordered a cup of coffee from a steward who was serving food and drink from a catering trolley.

The 63-year-old nurse received the coffee from the steward but was told that the flight had run out of protective cup lids.

Denise felt this also contributed towards her injuries, which took eight months to heal and badly disrupted her holiday before it had even begun. To add insult to injury, Denise was even accused of lying as Ryanair attempted to point the finger at the customer in a bid to avoid blame - before the firm was exposed and coughed up £4,350.

She said: “Ryanair said that I lied about there being no lids, but that’s just not true as other people heard him say that.

“I put the cup on the table, but I don’t know what happened after that as, the next thing I knew, the coffee was all over my thighs. I didn’t knock it, otherwise it would have gone sideways and not into my lap.

“Those flimsy trays on Ryanair planes are clearly not fit for purpose, but I also think those little grooves that keep your cups in are more dangerous than helpful.”

Because of her occupation, Denise immediately knew she needed to treat her injuries with a cold-water compress. But the mother-of-one was left stunned by the cabin crew’s lack of engagement and experience of handling the in-flight accident.

She said: “I assumed the stewards on the plane were first-aid-trained, but that was not the case. I put my dress over my lap to help, but I needed something absorbent covered in cold water so I could douse the temperature out of it (the burns).

“I asked them for a towel, or something like that, but they said they didn’t have anything on board like that so I had to do my own first aid. When they did bring something, they first brought me some dry paper towels and I was lost for words.

“After that they came back with some wipes, but it turned out they were surface wipes which, of course, contain alcohol.

“Eventually, somebody came up with a bottle of burn gel. We asked to keep it for a second application, but the steward said that wasn’t possible and it had to go back into the first-aid kit. It was an absolute shocker.”

Denise’s flight injury claim – brought under the Montreal Convention which governs international air travel – was taken up by Hudgell Solicitors. Ryanair denied liability from the outset but still agreed to a £4,350 settlement shortly before trial.

Denise said: “I didn’t want to make a fuss, but what really got my goat was Ryanair’s lack of urgency. It was never about money, but they didn’t listen and just kept batting my questions away – that’s what made me pursue a claim.

“Hudgells did a great job, and I was really happy with the result, but what upsets me the most is that I genuinely don’t think Ryanair will ever change.

“Luckily, I know about first aid, but imagine if I was a child or an elderly person? Who knows what might have happened? My advice if this happens to anyone is to keep fighting and don’t give up as you’ve got nothing to lose.”

Denise was represented by Tracy Stansfield, senior associate solicitor for Hudgell Solicitor.

She said: “It’s always a daunting prospect, taking on a superpower like Ryanair, but the corporate giants of this world are just as accountable for their actions as the rest of us.

“Denise believed in the truth, and we were glad that she achieved a degree of closure for what happened on that flight, which is becoming an all-to-familiar story for holidaymakers.

“Over the last few years, we have noticed a growing trend of holidaymakers suffering in-flight burns, often because of shoddily constructed tray tables on planes.

“For the sake of their customers, this is something Ryanair and other airlines need to urgently fix.”