Parents Seeking Justice After Flight Attendant Accidentally Served Wine To Their 3-Year-Old — ‘Every Traveling Family Is At Risk’
They are currently arranging comprehensive medical assessments with pediatric specialists.
FamVeld | Shutterstock An outraged set of parents claims that refunds and upgrades aren’t enough after their toddler was mistakenly served white wine on a Cathay Pacific Airlines flight. Although the toddler did not show any immediate concerning symptoms, his parents say that the damage is already done and are demanding that new safeguards be implemented on flights. Most people believe that it was just a simple mistake that was addressed promptly, and that the toddler was in no danger at any point.
A couple and their 3-year-old son were shocked when the toddler was served a cup of white wine instead of water.
On a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to London, a family flying business class ordered water for their toddler. According to the child’s mother, the little boy only took one sip before complaining that it tasted “sour.” She realized it was white wine after tasting the drink herself.
The mom immediately flagged down flight attendants, who apologized for the mix-up and brought the child a cup of water. However, she escalated the situation further by asking if there were medical professionals onboard. A French doctor examined the toddler and found that he had no concerning symptoms from the sip of alcohol.
Pavel Kobysh | Shutterstock
Still, the parents demanded that the captain contact emergency services for further assistance. They rejected the suggestion to simply file a case by email for the incident. In what many think is overkill, they are consulting with pediatric specialists, in the hopes that one will support a claim for delayed neurological, developmental, and physiological effects.
The airline has apologized to the parents in an email, essentially admitting the flight attendant messed up.
“We take this matter extremely seriously. It is our responsibility to ensure that all passenger requests are handled with care and accuracy, especially where the safety and comfort of young passengers are concerned,” they wrote. The airline insists that they’re reinforcing crew training to prevent similar incidents in the future. They also offered a refund for the child’s ticket, three upgrade vouchers to first class, and reimbursement for any medical treatment.
Still, the angry mom said it’s not enough. Instead, she wants a direct apology from the specific flight attendant who accidentally served her son wine and definitive proof of the airline’s new safeguards. She has also filed formal complaints with Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department, the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office, the Consumer Council, and the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
Many people believe that the parents are blowing the incident out of proportion.
“The kid didn’t drink a whole glass, for Pete’s sake. Of course, it must be removed once discovered, but it’s really no big deal,” one user commented. “[Cathay Pacific] gave refunds and upgrades worth thousands of dollars, multiple apologies, and are covering medical costs. I believe they’ve gone above and beyond. This Karen needs to sit down and drink her kids wine,” another wrote.
Like any professional, flight attendants will make mistakes every now and then. It happens, and it certainly doesn’t warrant free upgrades and thousands of dollars for unnecessary medical testing.
As a general rule, children should not be consuming alcohol, especially toddlers. “They can experience seizures, comas, and even death — if the blood sugar drops too low,” Dr. Richard So, pediatrician at Cleveland Clinic Children’s, explained in an email to Today. In this case, however, there was no indication that the one accidental sip of wine had any lasting effects on the child. Even the doctor on board confirmed he was fine.
Anton Watman | Shutterstock
This incident was an unfortunate accident, nothing more. Considering that the little boy’s first impression of wine was that it was “sour,” it’s safe to say that he’s not at risk for making white wine a habit!
Megan Quinn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in Creative Writing. She covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on justice in the workplace, personal relationships, parenting debates, and the human experience.
