Travel News - Coffee scalds boy on airliner

http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~53~2249870,00.html

Snowmass - A 19-month- old Colorado boy suffered first- and second-degree burns when he was scalded by coffee on a U.S. Airways flight from New York to Boston, his family says.

Ouch. Now there's a lawsuit.

The airlines really ought to use those pump things we see at coffee bars, or at least a screw-top thermal canter.

Should've taken the train!

One reason I love Channel 9 on UA is being able to get a ride report before I order coffee in First or Business Class.

In Economy, since it's in those tall styrofoam cups they only fill about 85% of the way, turbulence never happens. But when in a premium cabin, with no ride report to go on, and with those little cups filled to the rim, the moment it touches my tray - continuous light chop. Never fails. :)

You would think for liability in the economy cabin that the coffee cups would have the starbucks style anti-hot sleeve built in and the cabin crew would always put lids on them!

The only way to "play it safe" is to eliminate inflight hot food.

That way, there is no risk of spilling anything hot on a pax.

RC

Sarcasm?

The only way to "play it safe" is to eliminate inflight hot food.

That way, there is no risk of spilling anything hot on a pax.

RC

The only way to "play it safe" is to eliminate inflight hot food.

That way, there is no risk of spilling anything hot on a pax.

RC

Or give McDonalds the concession... they have the printed warning cups and they've handled the liability quite well so far.

Not be widly unpopular, but I would advocate the elimination of hot beverages from airliners. The spill risk is just too great for the benefit these beverages confer. If people really need a caffeine fix, there are always sodas on offer.

Not be widly unpopular, but I would advocate the elimination of hot beverages from airliners. The spill risk is just too great for the benefit these beverages confer. If people really need a caffeine fix, there are always sodas on offer.

I think hot food would definitely be out of the question too....in fact, all food should be put through a blender to eliminate any choking risks. If it means protecting a passenger, I would be happy to drink my bbq chicken through a sippy cup....may as well pour in a diet coke too. I might get cut on the can.

I wonder if the child will suffer any type of long-term mental trauma from the accident and not want to fly again.

I think hot food would definitely be out of the question too....in fact, all food should be put through a blender to eliminate any choking risks. If it means protecting a passenger, I would be happy to drink my bbq chicken through a sippy cup....may as well pour in a diet coke too. I might get cut on the can.

Funny. It is all reasonable risk. In an airplane, it is likely that there will be turbulence. In fact, it cannot be predicted with complete accuracy. Eliminating hot liquids that are easily prone to slosh around and injure somebody is a sensible way to reduce a known and likely to occur risk. Your other examples are not nearly as likely to occur.

Funny. It is all reasonable risk. In an airplane, it is likely that there will be turbulence. In fact, it cannot be predicted with complete accuracy. Eliminating hot liquids that are easily prone to slosh around and injure somebody is a sensible way to reduce a known and likely to occur risk. Your other examples are not nearly as likely to occur.

Likelihood of occurrence means nothing. Likelihood of outrage rules. Get with it, it is the American way.

Almost every time I order coffee, the temperature ranges from lukewarm to warm. Very rarely do I receive coffee that is scalding hot.

Several years ago, a flight attendant spilled my coffee on the man sitting next to me. He was wearing white pants! (well, they used to be white ;) ). He didn't say anything about it being hot (such as screaming for ice water), just upset about the stain, so I'm sure this was another usual lukewarm coffee.

I haven't taken a US Airways Shuttle flight, but I would assume they make coffee the same way as any other airplane. Very sad that the coffee was too hot on this flight. :(

We don't need to go overboard and ban all hot foods and beverages. Criminy, all you have to do is remind the flight attendants to let the coffee cool off before serving it.

Even if you use a thermos, if you spill a cup of coffee on someone (like my seatmate with the formerly white pants), and it's scalding hot, it will still hurt, just not as extensively as a full pot of scalding hot coffee.

A cup of airline coffee won't burn a normal adult because water boils at a lower temperature at altitude than it does at sea level. The stuff just can't get as hot up there. For most uses of coffee that is a Bad Thing, but it does add a bit of safety.

This was a freak accident: an entire pot spilled off a cart (so cup covers, filling them less full, etc., wouldn't have made any difference) for no apparent reason and, per the article, with no turbulence. And the victim was an infant so he has more sensitive skin.

I feel sorry for the kid, it looks like an FA was careless, but that's no reason to keep me from my fix!

If anyone's interested, the boiling point of water drops from 212 degrees at sea-level to 197 degrees at 8000'--the highest cabin altitude that you should normally experience in an airliner.

http://www.fetco.com/boilingpoint.htm