10 year-old suffers burn injuries on Delhi-Frankfurt flight

New Delhi, Aug 16 (IANS) A young passenger, aged 10, who was on a Tata owned Vistara flight from Delhi to Frankfurt last week, suffered burn injuries due to a mishap involving a hot beverage spill.

The child's family has criticised the airline for its inadequate response to the situation, asserting that the crew failed to apologise for the incident.

Rachna Gupta, the child's mother, took to her Twitter account, to express her concerns.

“@airvistara air hostess causes 2nd degree burn to 10 year old on flight to Frankfurt. An unfortunate accident poorly handled. Vistara hostess didn’t apologise, captain or crew members didn’t apologise.  After basic first aid on flt my daughter and I were left in an ambulance to fend for ourselves (pay for ambulance/navigate the German medical emergency services) in an unfamiliar environment. Our luggage had to be taken out by friend of a friend who made 3 trips to the airport and spent 4-5 hours pillar to post. Vistara or Amex the booking,” the tweet by Rachna Gupta read.

“Got a call from @airvistara with a standard scripted apology saying they need 24-48 hours to respond. While we remain stranded with a daughter in pain in a foreign land,” read her another tweet.

“The @TataCompanies and @SingaporeAir airlines are known for it's ethics and integrity. Sadly, this has not trickled down to @airVistara. The past...Hours have been harrowing for our child. After the tweet we received a customary call saying the airline would revert in 24 to 48 hrs,” her tweet said.

According to a Vistara spokesperson: “An unfortunate occurrence transpired on flight UK25 from Delhi to Frankfurt on August 11, 2023. A child sustained injuries due to the spillage of hot beverage on her body. The cabin crew had served hot chocolate to the child upon the parents' request. However, due to the child's playful behavior during the service, the hot water accidentally spilled.”

"As per our established protocols, our crew promptly administered first aid for the spillage and enlisted the assistance of an onboard paramedic, who volunteered to aid until the flight landed in Frankfurt. Immediate medical care was arranged upon landing, and both the child and her mother were transported to the hospital. We have maintained continuous communication with the affected customer. We facilitated their early return to India, organized ground transportation in Frankfurt, met them at the airport, and provided comprehensive on-ground support," stated the airline spokesperson.

The mother conveyed on her previous Twitter account: “We had to rely on a friend's friend to retrieve our luggage, making multiple trips to the airport and spending 4-5 hours... Both Vistara and Amex, the booking agent in India, have refused assistance, claiming they were not informed of the incident. Vistara has declined to facilitate our return to India. Surprisingly, there has been no contact from Vistara to inquire about the well-being of my child and me while we are stranded in a foreign land with a foreign language. Fortunately, I have the means to cover expenses, but I worry about those without such resources. Following my tweet, we received a customary call assuring a response within 24 to 48 hours.”

The airline representative further added: "We have assured the customer that we will cover all medical expenses arising from this incident. We are actively engaged in discussions with the customer to provide any necessary additional assistance. Our internal processes are also under review and enhancement to prevent similar occurrences in the future. As always, the safety and comfort of our customers remain our top priority.”