US woman sues airline for $10M after suffering severe burns from in-flight coffee spill

A US woman sued an airline for $10M after hot coffee was spilled on her during a flight.

A Queens couple has filed a $10 million lawsuit against Scandinavian Airlines after a flight attendant allegedly spilled scalding hot coffee on a 78-year-old woman during an international flight — leaving her with serious burns and unable to enjoy her planned vacation, according to a report by the New York Post.

A US woman suffered severe burns after hot coffee was spilled on her during a flight, leading to a $10 million lawsuit against the airline.(Representational image/Unsplash)

The incident reportedly took place on April 3, 2024, during a flight from Copenhagen to Oslo.

Vacation turns into ordeal

Aymara Corbo and her husband Giuseppe were en route to begin a cruise around the British Isles when the accident took place. According to court documents obtained by the NY Post, the in-flight beverage service was underway around 10 am when a crew member inadvertently spilled a cup of “excessively” hot coffee onto Aymara’s lap.

The lawsuit states that the spill resulted in “severe burns, pain, and suffering,” along with “scarring and cosmetic deformity.” Aymara, a retired bookkeeper, was left in significant pain and largely confined to her room for the remainder of the trip.

Lawsuit seeks damages

The couple, both retired and long-time residents of Queens, allege that the airline failed in its duty of care. They are seeking $10 million in damages for Aymara’s injuries, emotional distress, and the disruption of their holiday.

Giuseppe Corbo, 86, a former New York City Housing Authority employee, is also pursuing $1 million in damages. According to their lawyer, Jonathan Reiter, the couple’s two-week cruise was effectively ruined.

“They were pretty much room bound,” Reiter said, describing the traumatic impact the incident had on his clients.

Airline yet to respond

As of now, Scandinavian Airlines has not issued a public statement or responded to requests for comment, the NY Post reported.