Glass shard found in in-flight coffee
Victim demands preventive measures
How did Korean Air respond?
A recent incident aboard a Korean Air flight has raised concerns about passenger safety. A passenger, identified as Mr. A, narrowly avoided a potentially serious injury after discovering a sharp glass fragment in his in-flight coffee.
According to reports by Yonhap News, on a flight departing from Guangzhou, China, and heading to Incheon International Airport on the 1st of this month. Mr. A was enjoying an in-flight meal when he encountered an unexpected and dangerous surprise.
While sipping an iced coffee served as part of his dessert, Mr. A felt an unusual foreign object in his mouth. Without hesitation, he spat it out and was shocked to find a sharp glass fragment measuring over 0.5 cm long and more than 0.1 cm thick.
Fearing that he might have ingested other glass fragments, Mr. A promptly followed the cabin crew’s instructions and vomited all the food he had consumed in the restroom. Thankfully, he did not experience any health issues after arriving at his destination.
Upon closer inspection, the cabin crew determined that the glass tumbler used to serve the coffee had broken, leading to this dangerous situation.
Mr. A, concerned about the safety of fellow passengers, stated, “I informed the airline that this was a significant incident, and they promised to report it to their superiors.” However, he noted that he did not receive an apology call from the airline.
Mr. A also highlighted a critical point: “I discovered the glass fragment when I took a sip of the coffee. If it had been a gulp of the beverage, I might have swallowed it. I decided to bring this incident to the public’s attention through the media, not because I seek compensation or medical expenses, but because we are in an era of increasing international travel. I believe that enhancing the airline’s safety awareness is imperative.”
However, Korean Air did not accede to Mr. A’s request for media exposure. Instead, they offered medical expenses compensation and a $100 electronic discount voucher.
In an email response to Mr. A, Korean Air apologized and stated, “We sincerely apologize for the incident in which you nearly suffered an injury due to a defective glass cup provided on board. We have confirmed that the glass cup used for in-flight service was a defective item not discovered during the final inspection by the in-flight meal supplier. We have requested an enhancement of the inspection process to prevent similar incidents and have emphasized to our cabin crew the importance of visually verifying the glass cups to ensure the highest level of service.”
By. Han Ji Young (Jmyuuung@tenbizt.com)
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