A retired nurse has secured a £4,350 payout from Ryanair after suffering serious burns from hot coffee spilled from a tray table she described as 'clearly not fit for purpose'.
'An absolute shocker' of an incident
Denise Elliott, 63, from Southsea near Portsmouth, was travelling with friends from Bournemouth to Majorca when the accident occurred. She was served a coffee without a protective lid after a flight attendant informed her the airline had run out. Upon placing the cup on the tray table in front of her, the hot liquid spilled into her lap, causing significant burns to her thighs.
"I didn't knock it; otherwise, it would have gone sideways and not into my lap," Ms Elliott stated. "Those flimsy trays on Ryanair planes are clearly not fit for purpose, but I also think those little grooves that keep your cups in are more dangerous than helpful."
Criticism of onboard first aid response
The medical professional, who has first-aid knowledge, expressed dismay at the crew's response. She claims she was forced to administer her own initial treatment after requesting an absorbent towel soaked in cold water, only to be offered dry paper towels and later, surface wipes containing alcohol.
"I assumed the stewards on the plane were first-aid-trained, but that was not the case," she said. "When they did bring something, they first brought me some dry paper towels, and I was lost for words." A bottle of burn gel was eventually provided, but the steward insisted it be returned to the first-aid kit after a single application, which Ms Elliott termed "an absolute shocker".
Legal victory under international convention
Ms Elliott's injury claim was pursued by Hudgell Solicitors under the Montreal Convention, which governs liabilities for international air travel. Ryanair denied liability throughout the process but agreed to the £4,350 out-of-court settlement shortly before the case was due to go to trial.
"It was never about money," Ms Elliott commented, "but they didn't listen and just kept batting my questions away – that's what made me pursue a claim." She added her concern for more vulnerable passengers, saying, "Luckily, I know about first aid, but imagine if it was a child or an elderly person?"
A growing trend of in-flight injuries
Tracy Stansfield, senior associate solicitor at Hudgell Solicitors, noted a worrying trend. "Over the last few years, we have noticed a growing trend of holidaymakers suffering in-flight burns, often because of sloping tray tables on planes. For the sake of their customers, this is something Ryanair and other airlines need to urgently fix."
Ms Elliott said the outcome provided some closure but expressed doubt that the budget airline would change its practices. The incident occurred on 15 January 2026, highlighting ongoing passenger safety concerns with low-cost carriers.
