NI Bureau
A 10-year-old girl had a distressing experience while ordering a cup of hot chocolate during a flight. The hot beverage was accidentally spilled on her by a crew member, causing her to suffer second-degree burns on her left leg. This incident occurred on an Air Vistara flight from Delhi to Frankfurt on August 11. The family of the girl claims that the airline did not apologize or cover the medical expenses. However, the airline has clarified that they maintained communication with the family, facilitated their return to India, and will cover all medical costs.
Rachna Gupta, who was traveling with her daughter Tara on the flight to Frankfurt, asserted that the incident led to them missing their connecting flight to Lisbon. Although Tara received immediate first aid from a paramedic on board, and the airline arranged an ambulance, they were disappointed by the lack of an apology and the need to cover significant medical expenses.
Ms. Gupta expressed her frustration on X (formerly known as Twitter): “@airvistara An air hostess on the flight to Frankfurt caused a 2nd degree burn to my 10-year-old. An unfortunate accident that was poorly handled. Neither the Vistara hostess, captain, nor crew members offered an apology.”
“After receiving basic first aid on the flight, my daughter and I were left in an ambulance to navigate the unfamiliar German medical emergency services and pay for the ambulance. A friend of a friend had to retrieve our luggage, making multiple trips to the airport and spending hours sorting things out,” she added.
According to Ms. Gupta, she had to cover the expenses for the ambulance (503 Euros) as well as the hospital bill. She accused the airline of not making efforts to arrange an alternate flight after they missed their connecting flight. The airline’s response came only after her social media post gained attention.
In a detailed statement, Air Vistara clarified that they had assisted in facilitating the mother and daughter’s return to India and were reevaluating their procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
“We confirm an unfortunate incident occurred on flight UK25 from Delhi to Frankfurt on August 11, 2023, in which a child sustained injuries due to a spillage of hot beverage. Our cabin crew had served hot chocolate to the child upon her parents’ request; however, the hot water spilled on her due to the child’s playful behavior during the service,” the airline’s statement explained.
The airline noted that the girl received immediate first aid, and assistance was provided by a paramedic onboard. Upon landing in Frankfurt, medical care was ensured by arranging an ambulance to take the child and her mother to a hospital.
“We have been in continuous contact with the customer since the incident. We have facilitated their early return to India, organized ground transportation in Frankfurt, met them at the airport, and provided extensive on-ground support. We have assured the customer that we will cover all medical expenses related to this incident,” the statement affirmed. Air Vistara emphasized that they are staying in touch with the family to offer any necessary assistance.
“We are also conducting a review of our processes and making necessary improvements to prevent such situations in the future. As always, the safety and comfort of our customers are our top priorities,” the statement concluded.
