[norbert2008]

Just wondered if anyone in the forum can advise or this happened to you? A friend was on BA flight in economy LHR to Washington when someone dropped there hard metal hand luggage on her head. She sustained concussion and the crew were very good giving her first aid attention. Should she have flown in this condition? She still has neck pain some 7 days later. BA only found a seat in Premium, I have no idea on load factor but a lie flat bed would have been wiser. Somehow she doesn’t know who the passenger was who dropped the case. Where does she stand compensation wise? Any ideas, she is currently still with family in the USA.

[cwoodward]

Crew should have made a call for a doctor on-board – then the happening much more formalised and on record….more action would have been taken.
Suspect possibly now too late for much sort of compensation but the BA crew were slack and something should be forthcoming from BA. Does she have details of the other passenger?

2 users thanked author for this post.

theflyingnurse, Bullfrog

[ASK1945]

Many years ago this happened to me when my plane from MAN landed at LHR. I blacked out for a few seconds. The person responsible apologised but didn’t stop to find out if I was OK. He got off quickly, before the cabin crew could get to me, so clearly we didn’t know who he was. He wasn’t one of the passengers in the seats behind me.

I sat there for a few minutes, the BA crew were very attentive and did offer to call a doctor, or take me to the LHR First Aid centre. I felt much better, so went on my way without difficulty or further assistance – including travelling on my own to my meeting in central London. In retrospect, this was stupid as later that day I became ill with obvious concussion. Fortunately, I only needed to lie down for a couple of hours; a nurse was nearby if things got worse.

It never entered into my head (pardon the pun) to ask for compensation from BA. I do appreciate that Norbert’s story is not quite the same and the outcome more serious.

[LuganoPirate]

Safair in south Africa insist all passengers remain seated, and then allow disembarkation row by row, with the flight attendant moving back as each row becomes free. I asked about this and was told it not only allows for a quicker exit for the passenger, but also helps prevent cases in the overheads from hitting other passengers.

Maybe this should be adopted elsewhere?

12 users thanked author for this post.

TupeloKid, JJ, FaroFlyer, esselle, Inquisitive, cybertravller, Bullfrog, SenatorGold, fqtvgla, ASK1945, CathayLoyalist2, cwoodward

[TonyR]

Sorry for your friend’s injury but a careless passenger dropped a case on her head and somehow that’s BA’s fault? Her issue should be with the passenger but if she doesn’t know who that was the opportunity has probably gone.

3 users thanked author for this post.

Celticplumber, DannyBoy, FaroFlyer

[DannyBoy]

A friends partner a few months ago suffered from an epileptic seizure onboard. The crew were excellent in providing support and arranging for ground medics to be available on landing. Upon landing all passengers were told to remain seated apart from the ones in the surrounding area and the cabin crew blocked the view of the isle to ensure privacy. She was removed from the flight before others could disembark.

[theflyingnurse]

@norbert 2008, I am sorry to hear about your friend. Can I ask who diagnosed concussion? The reason I am asking is, if there was a diagnosis of this by a clinician, the person may have been unfit to fly (primarily due to the possibility of an intracranial bleed). So I am surprised BA allowed the pax to continue their journey without a proper medical assessment. Apart from comfort, neither a WTP or Club World flat bed would have made any difference the the condition or safety of the pax.

[norbert2008]

When she arrived at her destination she went to the local hospital for which she paid upfront for a full check up.

[FDOS]

“Sorry for your friend’s injury but a careless passenger dropped a case on her head and somehow that’s BA’s fault? Her issue should be with the passenger but if she doesn’t know who that was the opportunity has probably gone.”

I wouldn’t be so sure, see this link for an explanation of why…..

https://www.psrsolicitors.co.uk/personal-injury-claim/no-win-no-fee-solicitors/flight-accident-claims

[FinnKZ229]

In my latest copy of Business Traveller magazine there is a very useful chart showing the cabin baggage allowances for the major airlines. I was astounded to see that the limit for British Airways is 23kg so I double checked on the BA website :-

“You can travel with a small suitcase, duffel bag or holdall which can weigh up to 23kg (51lb) You must be able to lift your bag into the overhead locker.”

23kg is quite a weight for most people to handle as checked in baggage let alone be allowed to try to lift it into the overhead lockers. It will be equally difficult to safely manage to take the 23kg case out of the locker and bring it down to floor level. To me this sounds like an accident waiting to happen and it is no wonder that the friend of Norbert2008 was injured.

I would much prefer to fly with an airline that had a reasonable limit of say 15kg maximum and that controlled the cabin baggage allowance properly.

I appreciate that being struck on the head by a 15kg bag could be equally painful and harmful. However it should be much less likely to occur.

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TupeloKid, cwoodward

[TonyR]

I think you’d be hard pressed to fit 23kg into an overhead bin sized piece of luggage 10kg more likely.

[FDOS]

SInce when has quoting a factual link been ‘inappropriate’?

[FDOS]

TonyR

Depends what you are packing. Books, for example or other paper goods can be very heavy and reasonably compact.

[TonyR]

Not saying you can’t achieve 23kg. but it’s very unlikely with the sorts of things you would typically have in carry-on luggage.

[FDOS]

Agreed.

[Author]

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