Airlines
Ryanair Compensates Schoolboy with $10,800 for Harrowing In-Flight Experience
An 11-year-old Stefan Kokic, who experienced recurring nightmares as a result of the traumatic emergency descent and landing of a Ryanair aircraft due to a loss of cabin pressure, has successfully reached a settlement of €10,000 in his personal injuries claim against the airline.
This resolution was announced during a hearing presided over by Judge John O’Connor at the Circuit Civil Court on Monday. In presenting the case, Barrister Ciaran Mandal, alongside Rose Sweeney from Coleman Legal Solicitors, highlighted the distressing nature of the incident that occurred in July 2018 during Stefan’s journey with his parents from Dublin to Zadar Airport in Croatia.
Stressing the gravity of the situation, Mr. Mandal emphasized that Stefan had endured an undoubtedly terrifying ordeal. Acting on behalf of Stefan, his mother Nikolina Kokic of The Meadows, Cornelscourt, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, filed the lawsuit, stating in an affidavit that her son had experienced emotional upset but had coped remarkably well considering the traumatic experience.
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The aircraft had an abrupt in-flight depressurization, according to Mr. Mandal, which necessitated an emergency descent at Frankfurt Hahn airport before the family could continue their travel to Zadar.
According to the attorney, the claim was made in accordance with the Montreal Convention, which stipulates that an accident-related incident must have occurred and that the complaint must have sustained bodily harm in order to be eligible for damages.
Stefan had seen his GP, Dr Hugh Brady of The Bridge Medical Centre in Newbridge, twice, and counsel was urging that the court accept Ryanair’s €10,000 settlement offer based on “outstanding issues.”
