At the end of a flight, the flight attendants announce, "Please use caution when opening overhead bins, as items may have shifted during the flight." Unfortunately one person didn't heed this caution and caused an injury. Read on.
I was taking two of my kids to LAX via SAN (DL connecting to American Eagle). We had row 12 port on a 757 (ABC seats). I sat in the window seat, my six year old son sat in the center seat, and my nine year old son sat in the aisle seat.
The flight was wonderful until we arrived at the gate and the seat belt sign went off. A passenger opened the overhead bin above our row and took her bag out and ended up removing two bags from the overhead -- her bag and someone else's heavy computer case. The computer case went straight down on my nine year old son's head.
It happened in a split second. One second he's sitting there minding his own business, and a second later he's crying and bleeding through his hair. I was horrified but remained calm enough to ask someone to call an ambulance.
The woman who dropped the case on him didn't hang around. She got her stuff and left before the cops arrived. I hope someone drops a heavy object on her head so she knows what it feels like. Goddamn selfish ***** was in too much of a hurry.
The paramedics arrived quickly and took us to the hospital (the one on Washington Street). My son seemed to be OK (e.g., didn't faint) but the paramedics agreed with me that a doctor should examine him anyway even though the bleeding had subsided. Three hours later, he was discharged from the hospital, and we spent the night at a hotel a couple of blocks east on Washington St.
Delta wasn't able to re-schedule us on another American Eagle flight from SAN to LAX (something about not being able to overbook), but they did change our Song flight departing LAX at no charge. On the flight into SAN, the flight attendants took down my name and address.
So far, no communication from Delta, although it's only been a few days. Are they going to pay the medical bills? Ideally the selfish old bag should pay, but I guess that's not going to happen.
Ideas and comments? Thanks.