Toddler Hospitalized in ICU After Alleged Allergy Mishandling on Qatar Airways Flight
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A mother is suing Qatar Airways for $5 million, alleging her three-year-old daughter was left critically ill after a flight attendant dismissed allergy warnings and provided the child with a candy bar containing dairy, to which she has a severe allergy.The lawsuit, filed in US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, claims the incident caused the child to require intensive care.
According to the complaint, the mother repeatedly informed Qatar Airways staff about her daughter’s life-threatening dairy allergy prior to and during the flight. Despite these warnings,a flight attendant allegedly mocked the mother’s concerns and offered the child a chocolate bar without checking the ingredients. The child subsequently suffered a severe allergic reaction, leading to hospitalization in an intensive care unit upon arrival at their destination.
This incident is the latest in a series of concerning reports regarding in-flight allergic reactions. In November 2023, a three-year-old girl became ill on a Qatar airways flight after being given a snack she was allergic to, as first reported by The Self-reliant. A year later, a New York City physician flying Singapore airlines from Frankfurt, Germany to John F. Kennedy International Airport “fell violently ill” after being served a meal containing shrimp, despite notifying cabin crew of her severe shellfish allergy, according to a lawsuit filed last June. The flight diverted to Paris for emergency medical treatment.
in June 2024, British reality TV star Jack Fowler experienced what he described as near-fatal anaphylaxis aboard an Emirates flight to Dubai after being served a chicken curry containing cashew nuts, despite informing a flight attendant of his severe nut allergy. “Cashew is the worst nut for me,” Fowler told Good Morning Britain at the time. “Straight away I knew my throat was closing up, I couldn’t breathe.”
The lawsuit states the child “suffered great pain, agony and mental anguish” and will likely continue to deal with related problems. The mother is seeking a jury trial and $5 million in damages, along with pre- and post-judgment interest, court costs, and legal fees.
Qatar Airways has not yet filed a formal response to the allegations.
