Brit threatens to sue airline over spider bite
Qatar Airways is investigating claims a British man was lucky not to lose a leg after being bitten by a venomous spider while on a flight.
Barrister Jonathon Hogg says he was bitten by a brown recluse spider on the Qatar Airways flight between Doha and South Africa, during a five-month once-in-a-lifetime holiday, in June.
He said he saw a spider running across the cabin floor after feeling a ‘small, sharp pain’, which did not bother him at first.
However, his leg started to swell up, the pain got worse and Mr Hogg took some pain killers before going to see a doctor the next day.
The venom had started to attack his flesh and doctors say he could have lost his leg if it had not been treated.
Mr Hogg has had three operations and a skin graft since the incident.
Qatar Airways says it is investigating, but has not yet formally been advised of legal proceedings.
A spokesperson for the airline said: "The only known interaction between the airline and Mr Hogg regarding this incident, which he claims happened on a Qatar Airways aircraft in June, was via our website a week after his travel was complete. No report was filled with any staff on board regarding this incident."
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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