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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Or was cabin crew? My child scolded herself.

289 replies

maxbradbury · 07/04/2013 19:42

Ok flying home from Easter holiday. We went with a large group of us so all four children sat in the row in front with us sitting behind them on the plane. Cabin crew come through serving hot drinks and I have my nose in a book so do not notice. All of a sudden my six year old starts to scream. She had split hot chocolate all over herself . Turns out a member of crew asked if she would like a hot drink and she asked for a hot chocolate which was given to her without a lid or my consent. A member of crew took us to the loos and dressed to burn. I asked if it is normal procedure to give a young child a hot drink without consent and a lid. She said it wasn't and they would normally get consent and even then water it down with milk and pop on a lid.

Husband wants to make a complaint but I sort of feel I was partly to blame as I was not sat with her. She still has marks on her legs five days on. So am I to blame for not sitting with her or should I make a complaint?

OP posts:
TheChimpParadox · 07/04/2013 20:53

Could anyone explain how you can miss/not see/not hear a trolley on an aircraft that is serving drinks to row in front of you and talking to the passengers ? Unless you are fast asleep ?

Hulababy · 07/04/2013 20:54

When we travelled with Virgin the cabin crew would not let DD and her two friends sit together without an adult sat next to them. I assume it is for reasons like this.

Hulababy · 07/04/2013 20:59

Have never had a lid on a cup of hot drink on planes - its normally just in a cup with a handle.

Sirzy · 07/04/2013 21:00

all a lid does is keep it hot for longer anyway!

dearcathyandclare · 07/04/2013 21:00

Hi OP,
I think you should put this down to experience, but also write a factual letter to the airline expressing your concern that children should not be served without the parents' express consent. I could foresee a situation where a child requests something from a helpful cabin crew member that the child is not allowed, for a whole range of reasons.

Original poster
maxbradbury · 07/04/2013 21:01

We flew with virgin.

I am not a money grabber

I just want them to take note when serving hot drinks to children

OP posts:
kim147 · 07/04/2013 21:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CheCazzo · 07/04/2013 21:02

When all's said and done OP you'd have less than zero chance of compensation anyway since you failed to take your child to a doctor on your return. That would be the first thing their lawyers would ask.

50shadesofvomit · 07/04/2013 21:03

I think yabu and yanbu.

Im surprised that the grandparents (who were presumably asked if they wanted a hot drink) did not hear the stewardess ask your 6 year old if she wanted one. Out of the 4 adults, one should have noticed really.

My 6 year old is Mr Bump in human form so I would have asked for a half filled cup or moved to sit with him to supervise.

If the airline had lids Id be miffed that they had forgotten to give my child one but if she dropped the drink because the cup was hot, she would have been burned if the lid came off on impact or the holes for drinking from. Admittedly it would be less than an unlidded cup but a burn nonetheless

Was the cup plastic or ceramic? Plastic cup would be harder to use. Was it hot choc made from milk or the type made with hot water. J find that the latter is much hotter than the former so would have to wait longer for it to cool.

Norem · 07/04/2013 21:03

I don't think it matters where mum and dad were, at he loo, asleep or whatever.
The airline has a contract with the child as an individual.
The individual was injured because the crew member did not follow protocol for serving hot drinks to children.
I would complained to highlight the problem.

AnyoneforTurps · 07/04/2013 21:04

Have never had a lid on a cup of hot drink on planes - its normally just in a cup with a handle.

Depends on the poshness of the airline. BA, Virgin etc don't have lids because they serve the drinks in normal cups. Budget airlines where you have to pay extra serve them in Starbucks-type cups with lids.

I'm Grin at people assuming there is some massive safety issue with serving drinks without lids. I'm sure that, if passengers were being scalded by the dozen, all airlines would use lids.

Bearbehind · 07/04/2013 21:04

A complaint implies you want some kind of recompense though, IMO feedback would be fine- you admit your part in the situation but state you hope they learn from it too.

AnyoneforTurps · 07/04/2013 21:05

The airline has a contract with the child as an individual.

Not unless the child paid for her own ticket.

Hulababy · 07/04/2013 21:06

Even the last Jet2 and EasyJet flights I used had cups without lids for hot drinks.

As I said before too - in our experience children were not allowed to sit alone without an adult - the children were 7 or 8 iirr.

Bunbaker · 07/04/2013 21:10

I didn't know you could get hot chocolate on a plane.

Tigglette · 07/04/2013 21:10

The airline doesn't have a contract with a 6 year old because they can't legally enter into a contract. The contract is with the parent, who should have been supervising the children, I can't see what's to be gained from complaining - children that young should really have been supervised.

MarshaBrady · 07/04/2013 21:11

I thought it was coffee / tea normal cups. Hot chocolate with lid.

The coffee is rarely too hot but I remember thinking god this hot choc is hot, having to wait.

Or I could be mixing all the budget / non budget together.

MissSkinnyLegs · 07/04/2013 21:12

I'm really confused with -

Cabin crew come through serving hot drinks and I have my nose in a book so do not notice

To be honest I dont even remember the drinks cart coming round. I don't know if I was in the loo at the time.

Because they really seem to conflict...

TheChimpParadox · 07/04/2013 21:12

Perhaps the cabin crew get fed up of 'Tea?' 'Coffee?' 100 times up and down the aisle and like to throw in (in this case quite possibly) a 'Hot chocolate?'

MissSkinnyLegs · 07/04/2013 21:13

I didn't know you could get hot chocolate on a plane.

Grin

Actually me either.

crashdoll · 07/04/2013 21:13

"I just want them to take note when serving hot drinks to children."

You also did not take note. A complaint would be hypocritical but a polite letter suggesting not serving a drink without parental permission might be ok. Perhaps the air steward assumed you had noticed and were fine with it. I think you were mostly to blame tbh.

ChunkyPickle · 07/04/2013 21:14

YANBU - If I, as an adult, was given a drink hot enough to scald on a plane I would be shocked - both that it even happened, and because planes aren't the most stable of environments - elbows get jostled, cabin people fidget in the seats in front and behind etc. Drinks are spilled all the time and they shouldn't be able to do an injury.

Make a complaint, let it be known that it concerns you - if people aren't told then nothing will be done to fix the issue in future.

WorraLiberty · 07/04/2013 21:14

Maybe she was reading her book in the loo?

That's why there's always a blood queue! Wink

topsyandturvy · 07/04/2013 21:16

op isnt asking for compensation though is she

we should all know that a polite letter which you hope the airline will take note of and act upong will actualy most likely be binned after they write and say sorry madam

op is not being unreasonable in expecting her "complaint" to result in retraining or a change of policy, the accident could have been very serious indeed

MrsJK · 07/04/2013 21:19

Sorry that your DD was injured however as crew I know accidents do happen.

Lids are often not required if cups carry a "caution hot liquid" type of warning - however one should use their own judgment especially when serving children ( no brainier really)

Just to add water temperature on an aircraft is lower so wouldn't have been "boiling" to start with so hopefully hasn't caused as much damage as normally would.

I do hope she recovers fully soon Smile

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