Hi all, I am looking forward to get some advice of more experienced travelers. I've had an awful and serious situation when I last flew LATAM.

My itinerary was MVD-GRU-JNB and then JNB-GRU-MVD.

On the first leg, from Montevideo to Sao Paulo, flight LA8047 on 27th October 2018, I was starting to eat the muffin they give you as a snack, when I felt something metallic in it. I opened it a bit more, and to my surprise, there was a big metallic safety pin inside the muffin!! I Immediately called the purser and she was as shocked as me, and wanted me to give it to her, but first I took some photos of it, next to my boarding pass. She gave me another muffin and a chocolate and told me I had to open an online case and that Latam would reply within 48hs.

As soon as I got off the plane, I looked for LATAM staff in order to speak to a supervisor but been told that no supervisors were in the transit area and that I would need to disembark...and even if I did that, the only available supervisors at the airport were check-in supervisors. Later on, at the gate, I explained the situation and was still very upset and they told me that in those cases they generally give you a compensation such as a courtesy upgrade or a refund, but that they were not able to do that at the gate.

My case was already posted up and told them that I didn't want compensation in form of money because I was not looking for money nor taking them to a trial or anything like that, but that as the situation was so serious (if someone swallows a pin could possible be very hurt or even die), so I told them that maybe a courtesy upgrade for my next flight would be a fair compensation and that the case could be closed, both happy.

No answer in the following two weeks, so two days before my flight, I called LATAM call centre and they told me that my case had been escalated to the legal department and that they would answer on 11/11/18 by 3.30pm Chile time, that is when I was supposed to be already crossing the Atlantic in the middle of the flight.

I didn't get the answer until two days later, saying that they had analysed my case very seriously but that unfortunately, they couldn't take responsibility for the incident, as they outsource they catering and the muffins are not made by them. However (they said), they understood my preoccupation and offered me a USD 50 travel voucher.

I thought it was a joke, is it legal for them to say that they are not responsible for a metallic pin that happens to be inside the food they give to passengers? I think they are the responsible ones in the product chain, as I've bought my tickets with LATAM and the flight was LA operated. I haven't bought the muffin to a third party, LA gave it to me. What if I had been hurt by it? Does a life costs $50 for LATAM?

I appealed the case and they told me that they went through the process again but that LATAM's protocol for cases like this is to give a $50 voucher.

I travel with LATAM quite often, as I used to live in Australia for 4 years and it was quite the quickest way of getting to South America, and now that I live in Uruguay again, whenever you want to fly, you would end up either with LATAM or GOL. They have all my travel history, even my next trip MVD-GRU-TLV was booked with them, this time in premium business. I believe that the least they could offer is a free upgrade for one of my next trips, or at least a refund of the price of the MVD-GRU leg.

I have the photos but as I'm new in the forum, I cannot attach them yet, will be able after 5 posts.


What do you think I should do?

Thanks!