A 12-year-old boy who was burned by a hot beverage on an Aer Lingus flight will receive a settlement of €66,000, the High Court in Dublin has ruled.
The boy, from Rathfarnham in Dublin, was travelling with family on a flight to Malaga in October 2018 when the incident occurred.
The case against Aer Lingus alleged the airline failed to provide the safe service of hot drinks and failed to warn the boy of the danger posed by the drink's temperature.
After being served a cup of hot chocolate it was alleged he was instructed to remove the lid from the drink to add milk. When he did so, some of the liquid spilled onto his leg, causing second degree burns.
The court heard how a nurse travelling on the same flight assisted the boy by applying gel to the burn area.
Upon landing in Spain, the boy was taken to hospital in Malaga, where he was kept in overnight and given treatment including pain relief.
He had difficulty walking for the rest of his trip, and was unable to swim as a result of the injury, it was explained.
Upon returning to the Republic, his wound required dressing for a number of weeks. Now almost four years later, as a 16-year-old, he has a scar on his thigh.
Approving the settlement at the court, Mr Justice Paul Coffey said it was a fair and reasonable one.
