The brother of a 1-year-old boy whose finger got trapped in a tray table demonstrates how the injury happened.
WARNING: This story contains graphic images
A Kiwi mum is warning parents to stay vigilant when flying after her son’s index finger was severely cut during a flight from Auckland to Singapore.
The Auckland-based family were two hours into a 10-hour Singapore Airlines flight from Auckland to Singapore’s Changi Airporton May 1, when they heard their 18-month-old son scream in pain.
“I turned around and was like, ‘What’s happening? I don’t even know what’s going on’,” the mum, who asked not to be named, told the Herald.
The family were seated in a bassinet row where tray tables are located in the armrest and fold out. Unbeknownst to the mother of two, her 5-year-old son had accidentally shut his infant brother’s index finger in the pop-up tray table mechanism.
“My oldest was getting his tray table out, and my youngest was walking around and stuck his finger in the hole where the tray table comes out,” the mother explained.
“I couldn’t get his finger out. And then finally realised that I had to lift up the flat part to get it back into the hole and got it.”
Once she released the finger, she saw it had not only been crushed, but there was “a massive cut through the tip of his finger”.
Their son immediately began to scream and flight attendants came to assist, however, the mother claims one of the flight attendants poured a packet of sugar on the injury to “stop the bleeding”.
She claims another flight attendant then bandaged up her son’s entire hand, and eventually they were able to settle him for a short sleep before he woke, bleeding and distressed, and another passenger offered help.
“I think the adrenaline wore off – he just woke up, and he’s screaming because he was in pain. Then we realised there’s a man behind us who was travelling with his daughter, and he gave us some Pamol and then he calmed down a bit.”
A bandage was placed on the toddler's hand by airline staff.
The family claim the airline eventually also offered pain relief and suggested they could page a doctor if the bleeding went through the bandage.
The mother says the family were not only trying to make their son feel better, but also were conscious of the experience for other passengers and felt “embarrassed”.
“I’m wanting my son to be okay and comfortable and not in pain. But ... also, you’re super conscious that you’re keeping up the entire flight.”
When their flight landed in Singapore, the boys’ mum claims the crew promised an airport buggy would be waiting to transport them to the medical clinic, after they were held back to fill out some paperwork on the plane. But she says when they finally got off, there was no buggy or staff, despite repeated promises.
“No one knew what we were talking about. There was no one there for us,” the mother tells the Herald.
She says eventually they found a member of ground staff who helped them find a medical clinic so their son could be seen.
“We had to rush through the airport, basically because we’d wasted more time, and we had to get our next flight and back from the clinic.”
The family were on the first leg of their journey from Auckland to London, where they were travelling for a family wedding.
They were seen by a doctor who glued and bandaged the finger, at a cost of $400, before racing to their flight.
The family were eventually seen by a doctor, who glued and bandaged the 1-year-old's finger.
Back home a month later, the mother says her son is still recovering from the injury, but is doing well.
“He’ll have a scar on the tip of the finger, his nail has come off, but that will grow back, I think. I don’t know if he will have feeling in that fingertip – I don’t know if it’s nerve damage.”
Having also had time to process what occurred on the flight, the mother says she is speaking out to serve as a warning, hoping to prevent it happening to another family.
“My main message is just if you’re in the situation, make sure you watch your kids when they’re putting out the tray tables, make sure there’s no little hands around.”
She also believes airlines have their part to play in keeping tamariki safe too.
“Urge parents to keep their kids’ fingers and toes away. They need to do that before the flight takes off, or even just have a sticker or a sign in that area to watch out,” she added.
On the family’s flight home with Air New Zealand, she says crew gave a PA announcement before meal services about keeping children’s fingers clear of tray tables She claims she did not hear a warning on the Singapore Airlines flight.
Singapore Airlines does not have specific warnings on board around tray tables.
In response to the Herald’s inquiries about the incident and the mother’s claims, Singapore Airlines said it “sincerely apologises” to the family.
“Our cabin crew immediately administered first aid to the passenger after they were alerted to the incident, and checked on him and his family regularly during the flight.
“We are in contact with the family to provide the necessary assistance, and wish the affected passenger a speedy recovery.”
The airline added that “the safety and well-being of our customers and crew is our utmost priority.”
Jenni Mortimer is the NZ Herald‘s chief lifestyle and entertainment reporter. Jenni started at the Herald in 2017 and has previously worked as lifestyle, entertainment and travel editor.
