Couple Files $11 Million suit Against SAS Airlines Over Spilled Coffee Burns

COPENHAGEN- A couple has initiated legal proceedings against Scandinavian Airlines (SK), demanding $11 million in damages following a severe coffee-related injury during their European vacation.

Aymara and Giuseppe Corbo filed the lawsuit after a flight attendant allegedly spilled scalding coffee on the old passenger during their connecting flight.

SAS A320; Photo- Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK | Wikimedia Commons

SAS Airline Incident

The incident occurred on April 3, 2024, when the retired couple travelled from Copenhagen (CPH) to Oslo (OSL) aboard a Scandinavian Airlines (SK) aircraft.

The Corbos were proceeding to their planned cruise around the British Isles when the beverage service commenced at approximately 10:00 AM local time.

Court documents reveal that a Scandinavian Airlines (SK) flight attendant spilt “excessively” hot coffee directly onto Aymara Corbo’s lap while attempting to serve the beverage. The 78-year-old bookkeeper sustained immediate injuries from the scalding liquid, which had reached temperatures significantly above safe serving standards, according to the legal filing.

Aviation industry standards require flight attendants to exercise particular caution when serving heated liquids in the confined aircraft environment.

Photo- NY Post & Flickr | Compiled by Aviation A2Z

Medical Consequences

Medical documentation accompanying the lawsuit details the extensive injuries Aymara Corbo sustained from the coffee spill. The plaintiff suffered “severe burns, pain, suffering” across the affected areas where the hot liquid made contact with her skin.

Healthcare professionals treating Corbo documented “scarring and cosmetic deformity” resulting from the burns. The medical records indicate the injuries required immediate treatment and ongoing care throughout the couple’s European vacation.

Jonathan Reiter, the couple’s legal representative, confirmed that the injuries left the pair “pretty much room-bound” during their more than two-week excursion.

$11 Million Damage Claim Filed

The Corbos are pursuing $10 million in compensatory damages for Aymara’s physical injuries, medical expenses, pain, suffering, and disfigurement. The lawsuit additionally seeks $1 million in damages for Giuseppe Corbo, 86, a former New York City Housing Authority employee, for loss of consortium and companionship.

Photo: By Dylan T – Scandinavian Airlines System, CC BY 2.0 | Wikimedia Commons

Legalities for Airline Beverage Injuries

The lawsuit joins numerous similar cases where passengers have sustained serious injuries from excessively hot beverages served aboard commercial aircraft. Airlines maintain responsibility for ensuring beverage temperatures remain within safe parameters to prevent passenger injuries during service.

Flight attendant training protocols typically emphasise careful handling of hot liquids due to aircraft movement and passenger proximity. The confined cabin environment increases risks associated with beverage service, requiring heightened safety awareness from crew members.

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