"Pay 7.3 Billion Won": Mother's Fury After Child Passes Out from Snack Given by Flight Attendant ? What Happened?

Mother Claims Allergy Warning Was Ignored by Flight Attendant
Files $5 Million Lawsuit Against Qatar Airways

An American woman has filed a lawsuit against an airline, claiming that her three-year-old daughter, who has a dairy allergy, suffered anaphylaxis (a severe acute allergic reaction) after eating a chocolate snack given by a flight attendant during a flight. She argued, "I had clearly informed the flight attendant about the allergy in advance, yet the attendant still gave my child chocolate," adding, "Due to the attendant's negligence, we experienced severe distress and emotional suffering."

"I Told Them About the Allergy..."

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According to foreign media outlets such as the New York Post on November 11 (local time), Swetha Nirukonda, 33, a resident of North Carolina, boarded a Qatar Airways flight from Washington Dulles International Airport to Doha, Qatar, with her three-year-old daughter on April 9. The two were headed to India and planned to transfer in Doha.

Before using the restroom, Nirukonda emphasized to the cabin crew once again that her daughter had severe allergies to dairy and nuts, entrusting her child to their care for a moment. However, when she returned, she was shocked to find that the flight attendant was feeding her daughter a 'KitKat' chocolate bar.

She immediately protested to the flight attendant, but claimed that although the attendant admitted fault, the response was laced with mockery, as if she was overreacting. Nirukonda stated, "The flight attendants did not understand the seriousness of the situation at all."

Acute Shock, Emergency Injection... and a Second Episode

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Nirukonda's daughter began showing symptoms of anaphylaxis immediately after consuming the chocolate. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that can affect the entire body after exposure to allergens such as certain foods, medications, or insect venom, and can be life-threatening.

Nirukonda's attorney stated, "The child's oxygen saturation dropped rapidly, requiring an epinephrine injection (which stimulates the sympathetic nervous system)." Fortunately, her condition temporarily improved after the injection, but after arriving in India via Doha, she suffered a second anaphylactic reaction and had to be treated in the hospital's intensive care unit for two days.

Nirukonda claimed that the cabin crew provided little assistance and that she had to handle most of the situation on her own. She is seeking $5 million (about 7.3 billion won) in damages from Qatar Airways, stating, "My daughter suffered extreme distress and emotional pain due to the snack given by the flight attendant." Qatar Airways has not yet released an official statement regarding Nirukonda's claims.