An elderly woman was injured on a Cathay Pacific flight to London when a piece of luggage fell on her head from the overhead compartment. South China Morning PostThe incident took place on Monday night when the plane was departing from Hong Kong International Airport for London Heathrow Airport.
At 11.22pm on Monday, police received a report that a 76-year-old passenger had suffered a head injury on the flight. He was given medical assistance at the airport before being transferred to North Lantau Hospital for further treatment.
The accident caused the flight to be delayed by about an hour. The flight, originally scheduled to take off at 11:15 pm on Monday, took off at 12:06 am on Tuesday night.
According to a Cathay Pacific spokesperson, the woman’s injuries may have been caused by improperly stowed luggage in the overhead compartment. The airline ensured the passenger and her family were given hotel accommodation and rebooked flights to Heathrow. Independent informed of.
A Cathay Pacific spokesperson said: “The injury may have been caused by a misplacement of luggage in the overhead storage compartment. Our cabin crew and ground staff immediately called for assistance, sent the passenger to a nearby hospital for further medical care, cancelled the flight for the passenger and his family members, and arranged accommodation for the family members at an airport hotel.”
The spokesperson said, “We take the issue of passenger safety very seriously. We regret the incident and sincerely wish the passenger a speedy recovery. Our team will investigate the matter and provide assistance to the passenger’s family.”
Notably, airlines are generally liable for injuries to passengers unless they can prove the injury was caused by the passenger’s own negligence. In this case, the woman may be eligible to seek compensation from Cathay Pacific under Article 17 of the Montreal Convention, which holds airlines liable for injuries and deaths to passengers during takeoff, boarding and disembarkment.
