American Airlines Sued After Man Dies Following In-Flight Meal
EmailAs American Airlines works to revamp its business through bankruptcy restructuring, the airline faces an allegation that one of its in-flight meals killed a Florida man.
In a lawsuit filed last week, the widow and daughter of Othon Cortes say that Cortes, 73, died after consuming a contaminated chicken meal on a May 18 American Airlines flight from Barcelona to New York.
A spokesman for American Airlines said the carrier would not comment on pending litigation. The lawsuit also names the airline catering company Sky Chefs, but Sky Chefs spokeswoman Josefine Corsten said that the company did not cater that flight and is working to have the case against it dismissed.
In their complaint, Cortes’ wife Raquel and daughter Sandra allege that the food Cortes was served was contaminated with the deadly bacteria, Clostridium perfingens. After landing in New York, Cortes, who was travelling with his wife, felt sharp stomach cramps, sudden thirst and other “clear outward manifestation of severe physical illness.”
Cortes’ condition grew worse after the couple boarded the next leg of their flight, from New York to Miami. According to the complaint, Cortes suffered nausea, shortness of breath and “a cardiac event” on the Miami-bound flight. The flight made an emergency landing in Norfolk, Va., where Cortes was pronounced dead.
The lawsuit alleges that American and Sky Chefs failed to properly maintain or prepare Cortes’ meal and that the airline shouldn’t have allowed Cortes to board the Miami flight without first securing medical attention for him. Cortes’ family is seeking more than $1 million in damages.
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How can he have had contaminated chicken when those people only serve peanuts and pretzels. He probably brought the chicken from a Barcelona dump and consumed it on the flight.
Posted by: ruben | November 30, 2011, 3:59 pm 3:59 pm
So now it’s the Airline’s responsibility to not let him fly? His wife and daughter shouldn’t have let him fly if he was that ill. Morons are taking over our world…
Posted by: Courtney | November 30, 2011, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm
Flights from Europe serve meals as they’re long flights. If your loved one died over a contaminated meal you’d be hacked off as well. Airlines should be able to serve you food that isn’t bad.
Posted by: lexingtonlady | November 30, 2011, 10:08 pm 10:08 pm
The fact that Sky Chefs was not involved yet sued, means this family hired a 3rd rate lawyer. They may have a case, but they may have a better one suing their lawyer for malpractice.
Posted by: Tyrone | November 30, 2011, 10:29 pm 10:29 pm
Now wait, what? Sounds like he had a heart attack not food poisoning. “and the airline shouldn’t have allowed Cortes to board the Miami flight without first securing medical attention for him.” What? Sorry but that’s dumb. They shouldn’t have gotten on that flight.
Posted by: keredte | November 30, 2011, 10:52 pm 10:52 pm
It does sound like he was experiencing cardiac problem in N Y and family should have seeked medical attention at that time.
Posted by: thomas | November 30, 2011, 11:09 pm 11:09 pm
Since when is it expected we know exactly how we are sick when it begins? The guy probably thought he was well enough to continue on. Nobody has some crystal ball to always know how illness will run. They name the deadly bacteria in this story so it appears they know cause of death here.
Posted by: lexingtonlady | November 30, 2011, 11:27 pm 11:27 pm
He had a heart attack………….harrassment suit to try to extort money from the airline.
Posted by: sayitmeanit | November 30, 2011, 11:37 pm 11:37 pm
They (the plaintiffs) named the bacteria so that makes it so? That is absolute nonsense. Their ambulance chasing attorney named a bacteria out of thin air…….I am sure this guys death certificate says cardiac problem.
Posted by: Sayitmeanit | November 30, 2011, 11:42 pm 11:42 pm
For the life of me I can’t imagine why some of you are so inclined to get on stories where people died and bash the survivors. I hope there is no Karma for you. You are sure of nothing and you’re “asSuming.”
Posted by: lexingtonlady | December 1, 2011, 12:07 am 12:07 am
P.S. I’m “SURE” when people die of food poisoning science knows how to tell. The lay person sure doesn’t know what bacteria to make up that their loved one died of.
Posted by: lexingtonlady | December 1, 2011, 12:09 am 12:09 am
Lexington, you are a hoot. Welcome to the information age…type in deadly food bacteria in your web browser and up pops all the deadly bacteria possibilities that a slimey ambulance chaser could hope for. The plaintiffs are making stuff up. How do I know for sure? Simple—-if this guy got food poisoning he would have lived longer than is being reported by the familywhile demostrating several other symptoms and other victims would have demostrated the classic food poisoning signs. One guy showing signs of a heart attack—most likely died of a heart attack. And sorry, testing for a bacteria is very very simple and easily proven IF the case. Its not the case in this case so hence no hard evidence.
Posted by: sayitmeanit | December 1, 2011, 1:21 am 1:21 am
This is looks like a heart attack .
Posted by: egyptforever | December 1, 2011, 1:25 am 1:25 am
First rule ? Never eat on any flight ! The proof for the amount bacteria on reheated meals is just beyond any beliefs. Better yet …just drink glass bottled water before flight ! It will not kill you to fast for for one or two days….actually it will do you good because you will give a break to your body after all the c….p you feed it with !!
Posted by: max | December 1, 2011, 2:30 am 2:30 am
This gentleman should not have continued on to the next leg of the flight if he was ill. The family should have asked for immediate medical attention once they landed in New York. My daughter was suffering from hypotherma and dehydration from vomiting on a trans-Atlantic flight. In fact, by the time we got to Schipol her fingers were cramping. We got absolutely no help from the airlines, an American-owned carrier. Luckily, the Dutch-owned KLM ground crew at Schipol in Amsterdam helped us get to the doctor at the airport sickbay. Thank you, KLM! You probably saved my daughter’s life.
Posted by: EJW | December 1, 2011, 3:09 am 3:09 am
Food poisoning typically takes DAYS to manifest. In some cases, a stomach ache or indigestion may occur within HOURS… not much sooner than that unless the food were so contaminated that it wouldn’t be palatable.
The bacteria in question “has an incubation time between six and 24 (commonly 10-12) hours after ingestion of contaminated food.”[WikiPedia] Normally, you are well again after a day. It is often confused as being a “24-hour flu.”
Posted by: looncraz | December 1, 2011, 3:37 am 3:37 am
First, I am sorry a life was lost. Now, how was he the ONLY passenger to have gotten sick? Whatever! Case dismissed!
Posted by: Anon | December 1, 2011, 8:58 am 8:58 am
I’ll have the fish.
Posted by: newcountryman | December 1, 2011, 11:19 am 11:19 am
I’m with ANON, was he the only one that had chicken?
Posted by: Lizzie | December 1, 2011, 11:42 am 11:42 am
If the man went into “cardiac arrest”, then why wasn’t CPR, and AED administered?
Posted by: Julita | December 2, 2011, 1:52 pm 1:52 pm
They have to blame someone, so AA is the target. People are so sue happy nowadays. I guess they think American Airlines has deep pockets. Sorry they are bankrupt, they will have to wait in the long line.
Posted by: Jane | December 4, 2011, 4:54 am 4:54 am
Yes, airlines have a duty to not poison you. They are completely within their rights to sue. I would too. Geez people, realize folks also sue to make companies change their policies so no additional negligent actions occur.
Posted by: Jean S | December 4, 2011, 9:36 am 9:36 am