Flight Attendant Spills Hot Water On Airline Passenger, Causes Blisters, Burns

A Ryanair passenger claimed that her partner was left with serious burns and blisters after an attendant accidentally spilled scalding hot water on him on a flight from Faro, Portugal, to Glasgow, Scotland. Although the incident took place on May 20, Tonina Ciantar only recently opened up about the ordeal that her partner, Thomas McNab, 49, had to go through.

"We had ordered two paninis and two hot chocolates shortly after take-off. The air hostess had the trolley next to Thomas and, next thing I knew, he jumped up and was screaming he was burning. About four of five cups were scattered on the floor and he was screaming that boiling water had gone down the front of his trousers and on to his feet. He stood up and ran to the bathroom to get the shoes off and try and get some cold water on them,” Ciantar said, Daily Record reported.

She added that after the accidental spill, the flight attendant failed to administer the necessary first aid, and a result, the blisters and burns that her partner suffered just got worse. At one point, he even went into shock.

“The flight attendant didn't even offer to get emergency assistance or move our seat so Thomas could stretch his legs out,” Ciantar said. "She actually made a comment about Thomas causing himself embarrassment by getting an ambulance. At one point he started shivering and saying he was cold. I panicked and bought some chocolate for him to try and boost his blood sugar and she actually charged us for it. The crew member who dropped the water was nowhere to be seen after it happened."

Although the couple had requested an ambulance at the tarmac when they landed, only the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were available at the time. McNab was checked out by the paramedics who advised him to get admitted to a hospital without delay. He was treated for severe burns at the hospital.

"They submerged his feet in cold water and wrapped them in bandages, like they should have done on the plane," she said. "I understand accidents happen, but the treatment by staff in the aftermath was shocking. It could easily have been a child or an elderly person. Luckily, Thomas is a big guy who was able to endure the pain and not make a fuss."

A Ryanair spokesperson said their team had reached out to the customer in question regarding the alleged incident and were “looking for further information but has yet to receive a response. We will not be making further comment while the investigation continues.”