Passenger Suing Airline After He Spilled Tea Served At An ‘Unreasonably High Temperature’ In His Lap, Leaving Him ‘Disfigured’ And Emotionally Distressed
He was left writhing in pain within the tight seats.
Jacktamrong | Shutterstock It's no secret that flying is rarely a pleasant experience. That's why the flight crew tries to do their best to make the cramped environment as welcoming as possible. Drinks and snacks are a huge part of that. One man might beg to differ, however.
After a passenger ordered a cup of tea while aboard a Frontier Airlines trip from Myrtle Beach to Philadelphia, he never imagined that it would leave him permanently disfigured with crippling PTSD and emotional trauma.
Now, the passenger is seeking $150,000 in damages.
A passenger is suing Frontier Airlines after being served a cup of scalding hot tea, which he spilled on his lap.
While aboard the flight back home on September 20, 56-year-old Sean Miller ordered a cup of tea. According to a lawsuit filed in federal court in Pennsylvania, a flight attendant served Miller the scalding cup of tea filled to the brim without a lid.
Miller spilled the tea, and the hot liquid soaked through his pants onto his unmentionables. Due to the tightly-situated plane seat configuration, Miller was unable to stand up and was trapped while enduring “agonizing pain while his body was being burnt.”
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Miller was met on the ground in Philadelphia by medical personnel and transported to a nearby hospital before being relocated to a burn center.
He was left with third-degree burns and disfiguring scars everywhere below the belt, including on his thighs, and according to reports, he was left with permanent nerve damage. His trauma is apparently ongoing and has resulted in sexual dysfunction and psychological issues, including PTSD, embarrassment, and lack of self-esteem.
The passenger is suing the airline for $150,000 in damages.
According to his lawyer, Adam S. Barrist, Frontier Airlines has failed to communicate with Miller regarding his concerns.
“Despite multiple letters sent to Frontier Airlines via FedEx overnight courier, I have received no communication, of any kind, back from Frontier Airlines, concerning, among other issues, the payment of my client’s past medical bills and payment for his ongoing treatment,” Barrist wrote in a message to Law & Crime. “It was, therefore, necessary to institute suit right away.”
A Frontier spokesperson told Law & Crime that the company does not comment on pending litigation.
Still, Barrist insists that they had an obligation to Miller to keep him safe aboard his flight and they failed to do so.
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“[Frontier], by offering hot beverages to passengers on its airplanes, had a duty to Mr. Miller to provide his requested hot beverage to him in a safe manner that would not subject him to potential injury and disfigurement,” the lawsuit read.
Flight attendants should always take preventative measures when serving hot beverages on planes.
On most flights, water boils at 195 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to kill bacteria and other harmful organisms that may contaminate it.
However, some passengers may be concerned about the temperatures of hot beverages served on flights, fearing that unexpected turbulence may cause them to spill on themselves or other passengers.
Dan Cox, an author and professional expert witness in all things related to hot beverages, specifically coffee and tea, explained, "Similar to drive-thru and curbside service, airline travel inherently presents additional risks to the consumer (such as plane movement, sudden movement of reclining seats, and proximity to others) in regards to handling hot beverages."
Cox went on to detail the preventative measures the flight crew should be required to take when serving these beverages, including never overfilling cups and always providing a secure lid.
When people board planes, they generally don't expect to enjoy themselves, but they certainly don't envision being scalded by their drinks, unable to move, and never being able to experience the basic pleasures they once did.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.