NEW DELHI: A ten-year-old child suffered burn injuries when a flight attendant carrying a hot chocolate drink for her split over her. The incident occurred on August 11th on a Vistara flight from Delhi to Frankfurt. The child is reported to have suffered second-degree burns on her thigh.
"The air hostess caused second-degree burns and this incident was poorly handled. Neither the air hostess nor the captain or crew apologise. We got a standard scripted call, after I tweeted about the incident, from Vistara saying they will take 24 to 48 hours to respond. All this while we were in pain in a foreign land,’’ alleged Rachna Gupta, the child’s mother.
Gupta also said, immediately after the incident, that the hours that followed the incident were harrowing for her child.
"After basic first aid on flight me and my daughter were left in an ambulance to fend for ourselves, and navigate the German medical emergency services. In an unfamiliar environment. Our luggage had to be taken out by a friend of a friend who made three trips to the airport and spent four to five hours pillar to post,’’ Gupta added.
"We confirm an unfortunate incident occurred onboard UK25 flying from Delhi to Frankfurt on 11 August 2023, where a child sustained injuries due to spillage of hot beverage on the body. Our cabin crew had served hot chocolate to the child at the request of her parents, however, the hot water spilled on her since the child was playful during the service. In line with the SOPs, our crew immediately provided first-aid as warranted for the spill, and sought support from a paramedic onboard, who volunteered to assist until the flight landed in Frankfurt,’’ said a spokesperson of Vistara Airlines.
According to reports, the child was taken to Sanaa Clinicum Offenbach in Frankfurt, where she was treated for pain and irritation.
The statement issued by the airline added that they ensured medical care upon landing by arranging an ambulance and the child, along with her mother, was sent to the hospital.
"Our teams have been in touch with the customer ever since. We have already facilitated their early return to India, arranged for ground transportation in Frankfurt, met them at the airport, and extended extensive on-ground support. We have conveyed to the customer that all medical expenses arising from this incident will be reimbursed by us. We continue to discuss with the customer and provide any further assistance as required. We are also reviewing and refining our processes, wherever required, to ensure such situations are avoided in the future. As always, the safety and comfort of our customers is of utmost importance to us,’’ the Vistara Spokesperson said.