Boy scalded on Ryanair flight awarded €6k in damages

A 14-year-old boy who was scalded on a Ryanair flight to Spain has been awarded €6,000 in damages.

At the Circuit Civil Court, Barrister Conor Kearney told Judge Michael Walsh that Luke Segovia was travelling on a holiday to Spain when hot tea had been spilled on his left thigh.

Mr Kearney, who appeared with Tiernan Solicitors, said there would be issues in the case and he was recommending the court’s approval of a settlement offer of €6,000.

While it was suggested that the beaker of tea was handed to Luke without a lid, a number of in-flight stewards would dispute this.

He told Judge Walsh that Luke, a soccer and rugby player, had been treated on the aircraft and in Spain. His treatment had been continued by his GP on his return to Ireland.

Luke, who was aged 11 at the time, sued Ryanair through his mother Aoife Segovia, of Sallins Pier, Sallins, Co Kildare.

Judge Walsh, approving the settlement offer, said that when there were challenging legal issues in the case, one did not know what another judge would award, if anything, should the case go to trial.