Flight attendant says trip was ‘scariest flight ever’

A flight attendant working on the same Aer Lingus flight as another attendant who has sued, alleging she was injured during an alleged heavy landing at Dublin Airport, has told the High Court it was a flight she will "never forget".

“It was the scariest flight ever. I did not think any of us would be ok,” Aine Maher said.

Ms Maher was working on flight EI582, from Malaga to Dublin, on November 19th, 2009, which, it is claimed, landed in a heavy, dramatic fashion after an alleged inappropriate and excessive rate of descent.

Casandra Reddin (33), Woodlands Manor, Ratoath, Co Meath, has sued Aer Lingus over back and neck injuries allegedly suffered when the flight landed at Dublin Airport.

She alleges there was failure to adequately supervise the landing of the plane by a co-pilot.

She alleges she suffered soft tissue, neck and back injuries, along with whiplash, and later had nightmares where she woke up screaming.

Aer Lingus has denied all the claims.

In her evidence, Ms Reddin said passengers were screaming, bottles in overhead baggage smashed and alcohol poured on passengers during the 2009 landing.

Swaying

On the second day of the hearing, Aine Maher said the Airbus 320 was swaying from side to side and she thought the aircraft would come off the runway as it landed.

“It was like control had been lost. There is no way that aircraft landed in normal fashion,” she said. The aircraft “bounced” she added.

When she looked down the right side of the plane, liquid was pouring from where the oxygen masks are deployed and there was a very strong smell of alcohol, she said.

Ms Maher said she worked the next day but then went out sick with back pain and was sent for physiotherapy.

Karen Fagan, senior crew member on the day, said that during the landing it felt like the plane was out of control.

Ms Fagan said she was moments from stepping up to an emergency situation where she would tell passengers to get into the crouch position.

“The plane bounced several times,” she said. “The plane was swerving. I have never experienced a landing like it before or since.”

She said she had great faith in the Aer Lingus cockpit crew but felt the plane, when landing, was not under control and then did come under control when she thought the captain had taken over from the co-pilot.

“Passengers were standing, it was a horror,” she said.

A passenger later complained of neck pain and asked for a painkiller.

The crew, particularly Ms Reddin, were ”fairly shook”, she said.

The case continues before Mr Justice Michael Hanna.