The parents of an 18-month-old child, who was allegedly severely scalded on a Ryanair flight, had to use their clothing to treat their baby due to a lack of first aid equipment on the plane, it was alleged in court today.
Judge James O’Donohoe in the Circuit Civil Court approved a €15,500 settlement offer made to Nathan Murphy (now aged five), who sued the airline through his father, Stuart Murphy, a chief executive officer, of Faharlagh, Belturbet, Co Cavan.
Barrister Niall O’Driscoll, for Nathan, told the court he was recommending the settlement offer negotiated with Ryanair together with legal costs.
O’Driscoll said the child was scalded when a very hot cup of coffee spilled over his arm, torso and leg as he slept on his mother’s lap half an hour into a two-hour flight from Reus, Spain, to Dublin on June 30th, 2022. He said the infant had to endure the pain of “severe scalding” and distress for the remaining 90 minutes of the flight.
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It was claimed the incident had been of such gravity that the child required emergency treatment on the tarmac of Dublin Airport before being transferred to Temple Street children’s hospital for treatment and dressings.
In outlining what happened on flight FR1115, O’Driscoll said he was confident the boy would succeed if his claim went to a full trial but told the judge there have been suggestions of contributory negligence.
O’Driscoll, instructed by Galway solicitors Alastair Purdy and Co, said Nathan suffered blistering to his arm, torso and leg but has not been left with any scarring.
In the boy’s legal proceedings, it was alleged a member of Ryanair staff caused Nathan to suffer severe scald wounds due to the manner in which his mother was served a cup of coffee that was placed on the tray of a vacant seat and fell over.
Nathan’s legal team alleged his injuries were caused by negligence on the part of Ryanair and its use of a tray that had not been suitable for purpose. It was also alleged the hot drink was placed in close proximity to a child when staff ought to have known this was inherently dangerous.
It was also alleged the boy’s mother was served with excessively hot coffee in a container which, it was claimed, was not suitable for that purpose and did not have a properly-secured lid.
Ryanair failed to have any sufficient or appropriate first aid box on board the flight, such that it was necessary for Nathan’s parents to use their clothes and bottles of water to treat their child’s wounds, it was alleged.
The judge approved the settlement offer, which he said was “about right”.
