- By Supratik Das
- Sat, 21 Jun 2025 04:55 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
An American doctor has sued Singapore Airlines (SIA) for negligence after she developed a life-threatening allergic reaction to a meal served onboard that contained shrimp, even though she had informed the cabin crew about her shellfish allergy. The incident, which occurred on a flight from Germany to New York, led to an emergency medical landing in France.
Dr Doreen Benary, a 41-year-old pediatric emergency medicine physician from New York, states that the airline breached its duty of care by presenting her with a meal that reportedly had shrimp. She had allegedly notified one or more crew members of her shrimp allergy just after she boarded the plane. Dr Benary was flying in Business Class when she was served a meal. She had eaten half of it before she felt the symptoms of an allergic attack and "detected the presence of shrimp" in the food. The flight attendant afterwards admitted to a mistake and apologised, the lawsuit contends. When her health deteriorated, the flight crew was compelled to make an emergency diversion. The plane made an unscheduled landing in France, and Dr Benary was taken to the hospital by ambulance and given urgent medical attention at two separate healthcare facilities.
Lawsuit Claims Negligence, Seeks Compensation
Dr Benary, in her official complaint, reports she felt "great pain, agony, and mental anguish" and asserts that she suffered these because of the airline's negligence. She asserts that the incident has deprived her of her ability to enjoy life and continue her personal and professional pursuits fully.“One of the cabin crew’s primary responsibilities is to be aware of and respond appropriately when advised of a passenger’s food allergy. When placed on notice, the crew had a duty of care to ensure no allergen-containing meals were served,” the complaint noted. Dr Benary is currently suing Singapore Airlines for "full, fair and reasonable damages," with the amount to be decided in trial proceedings.
To date, Singapore Airlines has made no public statement regarding the suit. The accident leads to greater questions regarding airline food safety standards, particularly for passengers with severe allergies.
