Courts

Ryanair tried to attach blame to mother of baby in coffee burn damages claim, court told

The airline had withdrawn its application to join the mother as a third party and had made a without liability settlement offer of €10,000

Ryanair had attempted to attach the mother of a 13 months old baby as partly or wholly liable for a €60,000 damages claim against them after a child suffered an in-flight burn from a coffee spill, a court was told. Photograph: Chris Radburn/PA Wire
Ryanair had attempted to attach the mother of a 13 months old baby as partly or wholly liable for a €60,000 damages claim against them after a child suffered an in-flight burn from a coffee spill, a court was told. Photograph: Chris Radburn/PA Wire
Ray Managh
Fri Mar 22 2024 - 13:52

Ryanair had attempted to attach the mother of a 13-month-old baby as partly or wholly liable for a €60,000 damages claim against them after a child suffered an in-flight burn from a coffee spill, a court was told on Friday.

Elaine Hanniffy, counsel for now seven year old Hanna Sychta, Shannon Quays, Rooskey, Co Leitrim, told Judge Michael Walsh in the Circuit Civil Court that the burn incident had occurred on a flight from Warsaw to Dublin on New Year’s Day, 2018.

Ms Hanniffy, who appeared with Byrne Carolan Cunningham Solicitors for the child’s mother Emilia Sychta, said Hanna had suffered a burn injury to her shoulder following a coffee spill.

“A full defence was entered by Ryanair and the defendant did bring an application to join the plaintiff’s next friend to the proceedings,” Ms Hanniffy said.

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When asked by Judge Walsh on what basis Ryanair had applied to have the child’s mother joined in the case, Ms Hanniffy said that while there had been a coffee spill on the child the mother was not exactly sure how it had happened.

“The mother had been served coffee and it was sitting on a tray and the child was asleep at the time,” she said.

She said Ms Sychta was not exactly sure how it happened but believed the seat in front moved or vibrated somewhat causing the coffee to spill on her child.

Ms Hanniffy told the court that Ryanair had claimed that the seats on the aircraft were rigid and non-reclining and that such a jolt as believed by the mother could not have happened.

She said Ryanair had withdrawn its application to join the mother as a third party and had made a without liability settlement offer of €10,000 which she recommended to the court.

“In any case something causing a spill did happen and I believe the €10,000 offer amounts to the full value of the case,” Ms Hannify said.

Judge Walsh, approving the offer, heard that initially there had been a scar which was thought might be permanent but which had completely cleared up and was now not visible, although the girl’s mother claimed she could still see a mark.