78-Year-Old Aymara Corbo Sues Scandinavian Airlines for $10 Million After Flight Attendant Spills Scalding Hot Coffee on Her Lap

A vacation meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime European adventure turned into a painful ordeal for 78-year-old Aymara Corbo and her 86-year-old husband, Giuseppe Corbo. The Queens couple had planned a relaxing cruise through the British Isles, but instead, they were forced to spend most of the trip confined to their cabin. The cause? A steaming cup of coffee allegedly spilled by a Scandinavian Airlines flight attendant, which resulted in severe burns and lasting injuries to Aymara.

Now, the Corbos are suing the airline for a staggering $10 million in damages, with an additional $1 million sought for Giuseppe. The lawsuit, filed in New York, has sparked renewed discussion about airline responsibility, passenger safety, and the dangers of in-flight beverage service gone wrong.

The Incident: A Flight Turned Nightmare

The incident occurred on April 3, 2024, aboard a Scandinavian Airlines flight from Copenhagen to Oslo. It was a short connecting flight, but what should have been an uneventful journey quickly spiraled into a traumatic experience. According to court documents, beverage service began around 10 a.m. As the flight attendant served coffee, the piping hot drink allegedly spilled directly onto Aymara’s lap.

Aymara, a retired bookkeeper, immediately felt the burning sensation of the coffee searing through her clothing and onto her skin. The complaint describes the coffee as “excessively” hot, strong enough to cause “severe burns, pain, suffering,” as well as “scarring and cosmetic deformity.” Her attorney, Jonathan Reiter, stated that the injury was serious enough to leave her “pretty much room bound” during the entire cruise that followed.

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The couple had been looking forward to their cruise, which was booked for over two weeks and was meant to tour some of the most beautiful and historic locations in the British Isles. Instead, Aymara Corbo’s injury left her unable to enjoy the trip, and the Corbos were forced to spend most of their time in their cabin tending to the injury and recovering from the physical and emotional shock.

Airline Responsibility and Legal Implications

The lawsuit raises important questions about how airlines handle in-flight service and the responsibility they bear for passenger safety. Coffee spills may seem minor to some, but when the beverage is served at extremely high temperatures, the consequences can be life-altering.

This is not the first time an airline has been sued for a hot beverage accident. The infamous 1992 case involving McDonald’s hot coffee, although not involving air travel, set a legal precedent and public awareness about the danger of serving overly hot liquids. In that case, a woman suffered third-degree burns when coffee spilled in her lap and was awarded millions in damages. While that case involved a fast-food chain, the core issue remains relevant in the airline context — how hot is too hot?

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The Corbos argue that the airline either failed to ensure the coffee was served at a safe temperature or that the flight attendant was negligent in handling and delivering the drink. Either scenario, they claim, constitutes a breach of the duty of care Scandinavian Airlines owed its passengers.

Under international aviation law, particularly the Montreal Convention, airlines are held strictly liable for injuries sustained by passengers during international flights, regardless of fault, as long as the incident qualifies as an “accident.” If the court determines that the coffee spill meets this definition, Scandinavian Airlines could be held liable even without proving negligence. However, proving the severity of the injury and establishing the amount of damages will be critical in determining the lawsuit’s outcome.

The Human Cost: Pain, Suffering, and a Ruined Trip

Beyond the legal arguments, the case highlights the human toll such incidents can take. For the Aymara Corbo and her husband, this vacation represented not just leisure, but a chance to explore the world in their golden years. With both in retirement, and Aymara at 78, the opportunity for such travel is precious and limited.

Their attorney emphasized how the injury didn’t just cause physical harm — it ruined the experience they had spent time, money, and emotional energy planning. “They spent most of the cruise in their cabin,” Reiter explained. “This was supposed to be a celebration, and instead it became a painful memory.”

Aymara Corbo’s injuries are described as severe enough to leave long-term scars and cosmetic deformities. While the specifics of her medical treatment have not been disclosed, burns from hot liquids can range from first-degree (minor) to third-degree (requiring skin grafts and extensive recovery). In many older patients, healing is slower and more complicated due to age-related factors like thinner skin and reduced immune response.

For Giuseppe, the trauma wasn’t limited to witnessing his wife’s suffering. The lawsuit also includes a claim for $1 million in damages on his behalf, citing emotional distress and the loss of companionship. As her primary caregiver during the cruise, he reportedly bore the burden of helping her recover while dealing with the shock of the incident.

Public and Airline Response

As of now, Scandinavian Airlines has not issued a formal response to the lawsuit. When contacted by the media, the airline reportedly did not immediately respond to requests for comment. This silence is not uncommon in the early stages of litigation, especially when legal teams are still assessing the details.

Public reaction to the case has been mixed. Some sympathize with the Corbos, recognizing that hot liquid burns can be both painful and disfiguring, particularly for elderly individuals. Others have questioned whether the $10 million claim is excessive, though legal experts note that high-dollar lawsuits are often filed as a negotiating tactic and may settle for less.

The broader airline industry has yet to weigh in, but this case is likely to spark internal reviews of in-flight beverage service protocols. With airlines often serving hot drinks at altitudes where turbulence is unpredictable, ensuring safer practices could include lowering beverage temperatures, using spill-proof cups, or requiring attendants to pour drinks only when the seatbelt sign is off.

While the outcome of Aymara Corbo’s lawsuit remains uncertain, its implications may be far-reaching. It calls attention to the responsibilities that airlines have — not just in the skies but in the small interactions between staff and passengers.

The case also reflects the potential risks of everyday actions in unfamiliar environments. Serving coffee is a routine task, but when done at 30,000 feet in a cramped cabin, even small mishaps can have major consequences.

For Aymara and Giuseppe Corbo, the damage has already been done. Whether their lawsuit will deliver justice or compensation remains to be seen, but their story has reignited conversations about safety, liability, and the importance of dignity and care for all passengers, especially seniors.

As the legal process unfolds, Scandinavian Airlines and other carriers may have to reconsider how they manage the simple act of serving a cup of coffee — and whether they’re truly doing enough to protect their passengers from avoidable harm.