Writer sues BA after being hit on head by heavy bag
British Airways is being sued by a passenger who was injured when a heavy bag fell on his head.
Wayne Herbert, a writer from London, claims he suffered ‘searing pain’ when the rucksack containing a laptop fell onto him from the overhead compartment as the flight was waiting to take off.
He said he ‘saw stars’ and suffered whiplash injuries and he is still traumatized by the accident on October 28.
Mr Herbert had to be taken off the US-bound flight and assessed by a paramedic, and although he wasn’t taken to hospital he was unable to fly until the following day. He was flying to America, he said, to work on a novel.
He told The Standard evening newspaper that he had instructed solicitors to sue the airline after receiving a ‘derisory’ compensation offer, first of air miles and then of £500.
Mr Herbert claimed the accident was caused by passengers in the row behind trying to stuff too much luggage into the locker above him and he criticised BA’s policy of allowing passengers to take large items of carry on baggage.
BA allows passengers to take a piece of hand luggage weighing up to 23 kg.
A BA spokesman told The Standard: "Our cabin crew gave every possible help to our customer and we are still in contact with him to resolve this issue."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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