A dream trip from Las Vegas to London allegedly turned into a nightmare when a passenger says a scalding cup of coffee slid off a flimsy airplane tray table and spilled directly into his lap.
Now Nicholas Gibbs, 41, is suing Virgin Atlantic, claiming the terrifying in-flight accident left him in “absolute agony” and caused injuries that changed his life.
Gibbs said the incident happened during a Virgin Atlantic flight when his tray table was already loaded with food. Then, according to him, a cup of coffee was placed on the tray.
Almost immediately, he said, the cup slid off and spilled onto him.
“What happened was pretty much unbelievable from start to finish,” Gibbs recalled. “My tray was already pretty loaded with food that had been served to me earlier in the flight when I was given a cup of coffee.”
He claimed the problem was obvious.
“They put it on the tray and, almost immediately, it slid off and went into my lap,” he said. “It was clear the tray was badly slanted and too flimsy to carry the food and drink.”
Gibbs said the pain was instant and unbearable.
“I was in absolute agony, but also in complete shock as the excruciating pain was just unbearable,” he said.
According to Gibbs, the flight crew’s response only made the situation worse.
He claimed it took about 20 minutes before anyone took action, and even then, he said, he was only given a bottle of water to pour over himself.
“Virgin were totally useless from start to finish,” Gibbs said. “It must have been about 20 minutes before anyone did anything — and that was just to give me a bottle of water to pour over my lap.”
He said he then spent about an hour sitting in a soaking-wet seat while still in severe pain.
Eventually, Gibbs said, burn cream was applied and a bandage was placed over the injury. He said he was also given a basic pain reliever and loose-fitting pajamas because his clothing was soaked.
Gibbs claims he was told medical help would be waiting for him when the plane landed at Heathrow Airport.
But according to him, no one was there.
By the time he got off the plane, Gibbs said his injuries were badly blistered and the bandage had already fallen off.
He also claims he has not heard from Virgin since the incident.
Although his physical burns have since healed, Gibbs said the ordeal has taken a serious toll on his life and mental health. He said plans with his partner to start a family were put on hold because of the injuries.
“It’s had a massive effect on my life, to be honest,” Gibbs said. “It’s also had a mental impact on me.”
He added, “When all is said and done, it’s my manhood, and it will never be the same again.”
Gibbs’ attorney said the case raises serious questions about in-flight safety and whether airline tray tables are suitable for hot drinks.
“We feel he was not given satisfactory care from in-flight staff, while Virgin’s response in the aftermath has essentially been non-existent,” the attorney said.
The lawyer also claimed hot drink spill injuries caused by cups sliding off plane tray tables are rising at a “worrying rate.”
Virgin Atlantic pushed back, saying its cabin crew are trained to serve drinks safely.
“Our cabin crew are highly trained to deliver drinks safely, with hot drinks served below boiling temperature and filled to below the brim in specially designed cups or mugs,” a spokesperson said.
The airline has also said hot drink service has been suspended when cabin conditions are not suitable.