An elderly woman on a Cathay Pacific flight bound for London was hurt when a piece of luggage fell from an overhead compartment and hit her on the head. According to the South China Morning Post, the incident happened on Monday night as the flight was leaving Hong Kong International Airport for London Heathrow Airport.
Police were notified at 11:22 PM on Monday that a 76-year-old passenger had sustained a head injury on the flight. She received medical assistance at the airport before being transferred to North Lantau Hospital for further treatment.
Due to the accident, the flight was delayed for nearly an hour. Originally scheduled to depart at 11:15 p.m. on Monday, the flight finally took off at 12:06 a.m. on Tuesday.
According to a Cathay Pacific spokesman, the woman's injury may have been caused by improperly stored items in the overhead compartment. The airline ensured that the passenger and her family were given hotel accommodations and rebooked flights to Heathrow, the Independent reported.
A spokesperson for Cathay Pacific said: ''The reason for the injury could be down to a misplaced item 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 her family members, and arranged for the family members to stay at an airport hotel.''
''We take the issue of passenger safety very seriously. We are sorry for the incident and sincerely wish the passenger a speedy recovery. Our team will follow up and provide assistance to the passenger's family,'' the spokesperson added.
Notably, airlines are usually liable for injuries sustained by passengers, unless they can demonstrate that the injury resulted from 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 sustained by passengers during flights, boarding and disembarkation.
