Boy who claimed hot chocolate burn on Aer Lingus flight settles for €70,000

A boy who allegedly suffered a scald burn on his leg when a hot chocolate drink he ordered on an Aer Lingus flight spilled onto his lap has settled his High Court action for €70,000. The settlement was without admission of liability.

Jason Yonkeu was aged 12 at the time of the accident in 2016.

The boy, of Wellview Park, Blanchardstown, Dublin had, through his father Leopold Yonkeu, sued Aer Lingus over the accident on the Nice-Dublin flight on August 8th, 2016.

It was claimed, when the aircraft was in the air 40 minutes after taking off from Nice, the boy who was in the window seat beside his father, ordered a hot chocolate.

It was claimed the cabin crew member gave the boy the drink with a lid attached to the top of the cup as well as portions of milk.

The boy removed the lid to add milk and then replaced it but, as he took a sip of the drink, the liquid spilled onto his lap and in particular the upper right leg.

It was claimed he suffered immediate pain and was required to remove his clothes in the toilet to put water on his thigh and was also given first aid.

The pilot offered to find an alternative landing site but, as the aircraft was only an hour away from Dublin, it was decided by the boy’s family to wait until Dublin.

When the plane landed in Dublin, he was taken to hospital where it was noted he had sustained a partial thickness [deep dermal] scald but he later made a good recovery.

Aer Lingus had denied the claims and the settlement was without admission of liability.

Mr Justice Kevin Cross approved the settlement.